


Chronicles Of A Huntress

by AGirlHasNoName20



Category: Percy - Fandom, Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types, Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan
Genre: Other, Zoe is a queen, Zoe/Phoebe friendship, centered around Zoe's life, story also in ff.net, will add further warnings in the notes as the chapters advance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-18
Updated: 2021-01-09
Packaged: 2021-03-09 00:00:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 8
Words: 49,334
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27085237
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AGirlHasNoName20/pseuds/AGirlHasNoName20
Summary: Seven times in which men affected Zoe Nightshade's life and one time when she affected women's. Multi chapter fic written for the forum Gazing Into The Mist in ff.net.
Kudos: 40





	1. The One That Got Away

**Author's Note:**

> This is going to be eight chapters long so please follow and fav this fic too! Also, I've never written a fic based on Zoë so please review and tell me what you guys think of chapter 1!
> 
> So, about this chapter, I realize that, while there isn't much information about Zoë, it is stated that it was Atlas the one that helped Hercules obtain the golden apple. However, I thought it would be interesting how this lonely girl managed to be fooled by a seasoned hero so I gave the story a twist. Also, I'm aware that Zoë's language and dialect changes a lot over the course of her story so I've decided to stick to plain english in order to make the story as cohesive as possible.
> 
> Hope you guys like it!

Rain slowly gained strength as it fell on the Gardens of the Hesperides during that late afternoon just before sunset, soaking everything with its refreshening, reviving quality. Wind began to pick up, cold settling as a clear sign of the quickly departing summer. The gardens were surrounded by an atmosphere of expectant silence, as if they knew somehow that things were about to change, the thin layer of fog adding to that slightly unnerving characteristic.

Zoë, daughter of Atlas, guardian of the Garden of the Hesperides, stood behind a trunk, unbothered by her long, dark brown, loose hair soaked by the falling rain. Her long, white, Greek was pressing against her lean form, so cold was beginning to reach her, yet she could hardly feel it. She was undeterred by the cold, the water, and the incoming darkness as she silently reached up towards her quiver, trying to ready her bow without alerting the intruder of her presence.

Her duty was clear, to drive any intruders away from Queen Hera's tree of golden apples. She had been especially honoured by this assignment and she would fulfill her duties regardless of the consequences.

Yet, as Zoë aimed her bow at the stranger, she couldn't help but feel a connection with him, as if he was meant to play an important part of his life. The man in question was tall yet lean, his dark hair contrasting nicely against his white tunic and purple cloak, his leather sandals hitting the ground silently as he ran sneakily through the gardens.

Zoë's eyes narrowed and an amused smirk made its way onto her lips.

It'd be fun to defeat yet another man.

Zoë exited her hiding spot and walked silently towards the stranger, her bow ready, her eyes out of reflex opening wider in order to counteract the blurriness caused by the fog and the rain, even though she wasn't affected by them.

And then, she stepped on a fallen branch, the creaking sound echoing through the gardens.

Before her, the man stopped, straightened, and looked back at her.

Zoë scowled at her own mistake before releasing the arrow she had notched into her bow. The man rolled onto the floor, easily dodging the arrow, and stood again to charge at the Hesperide. Zoë wasn't cowered by the bold move though, and she quickly reached up into her curls, grabbing her hairpin and quickly transforming it into her sword, Anaklusmos. She met his knife into midair with her sword, and both rivals stared at each other with shock.

After a short, silent moment, the man smirked, his blue eyes twinkling with interest. "Well, well, well. A maid who can fight."

Zoë growled at that and punched the man on the jaw only to push him away roughly and attacking him with Anaklusmos before he had the chance to regain his footing. Miraculously though, he was able to block her attack, and the pair fought relentlessly for a few minutes, making it look like a complex dance filled with twirls, parries and blows.

At last, Zoë pushed herself onto his space, throwing blows at the stranger as quickly as she could in order to destabilize him. As he leaned back unconsciously in order to protect himself from her sharp weapon, Zoë quickly knelt and swept her leg under his feet, literally sweeping him off his feet. The man fell with a grunt and Zoë quickly took the chance, kneeling on his chest with her knees and legs trapping his arms against the ground and Anaklusmos pressed against his throat.

"Who are you and what do you want?" Zoë demanded forcefully, ignoring the stranger's smirk.

"May I say, my lady, that you are the most beautiful girl I have ever laid eyes on?" the stranger replied, unbothered by the rain that was by then pouring directly on his face, and stared right at the girl above him with what he clearly intended it to be charming smile.

Zoë's scowl deepened. She pressed her sword closer to his throat. "You have not answered my question, thief."

"Very well. My name is Hercules, son of Zeus," Hercules replied, his smile widening as Zoë gaped at him in shock, "I take it you have heard of me, then."

"Of course, your prowess and skills are legendary," Zoë replied as she stood, watching the demigod before her as he stood too and shook off his tunic. His eyes were unmistakable, a classic trait of a child of the King of the Gods. "I apologize, my lord. I acted hastily in order to perform my duty."

"As any worthy guardian should do," Hercules replied warmly, and gifted her with a cheeky smile.

Zoë refused to look away even as she felt her cheeks colouring. She looked at their wet clothes with a sheepish glance. "Let me invite you inside, my lord, it cannot be comfortable to carry on your journey with your clothes in such a foul state."

Hercules looked up at the rain before shaking his head with amusement. He gestured at the opposite direction. "What is done is done, my lady. There is no use in wasting time on such a small thing as clothes. Please, walk with me."

Zoë nodded, transforming her blade once again into a hair pin and placing it on her locks. She picked up her bow from the ground and began walking, Hercules following her. "May I ask what is your business in my garden, Lord Hercules?"

Hercules raised a hand almost apologetically. "Please, my lady, I must ask that you call me Hercules."

"If you call me Zoë, Hercules. I am not a lady, after all, only a nymph," the Hesperide replied, "Now, you were going to tell me about your visit to my gardens."

Hercules nodded and told her the story slowly, discoursing all the dangers he beared in life, his training with the centaur Chiron and even his relationships with the Olympic Gods. As he spoke about Hera, Hercules described the madness he was caused by his feud with the Queen of the Gods, and how it had resulted in the death of his family. His way of talking was passionate, almost poetic, and it made anyone around him forget anything but his storytelling. Before too long, almost without noticing, it was Hercules who led their stroll, and Zoë who followed in a deep, mesmerized trance.

"I am greatly sorry for your loss, Hercules," Zoë said softly, but Hercules shook his head vehemently.

"I do not care for apologetic words, Zoë, not when I am at fault for my family's murder. In consequence to my wrongdoings, Queen Hera has requested that I complete twelve tasks of her choosing, in order to atone for said crimes," Hercules replied, his voice masked with sad determination. He opened his arms suddenly and gestured before him. "Which is why I am here,"

Zoë followed his gesture, her eyes widening as she noticed they stood a few yards from Queen Hera's tree of golden of apples. She narrowed her eyes accusingly at the hero beside her. "You tricked me. You want to steal one of the golden apples!"

Hercules raised his eyes apologetically. "Of course not! Queen Hera asked that I fulfill this task for her! How can I steal any of her precious belongings, if it was their owner herself that asked me to retrieve them? Besides, I would never desire to cause you any trouble, my dear friend."

Zoë's eyes softened at that. She debated internally for a few minutes, but quickly decided that Hercules was probably right. He wouldn't cause him any harm and if he was there by the hand of Queen Hera herself, then she needed to help him. Like he said, they were friends.

Finally, the Hesperide nodded and smiled thinly at the hero beside her. "Very well but you need to promise me you will defend me if I get in trouble over this. Also, you will need to run why I distract Ladon. Once he feels your scent, you will not stand a chance."

Hercules frowned. "Who is Ladon?"

As if on cue, an enormous dragon with a hundred heads flew from the tree onto the ground, proceeding to roar at the stormy sky.

Hercules gulped. "Oh."

"Do not concern yourself, Ladon trusts me," Zoë replied. She then hesitated but eventually reached onto her locks, extracting her hairpin once more and turning it into Anaklusmos. She handed it to Hercules. "Here. You will need this to cut the apple from its branch."

Hercules took it respectfully and nodded gratefully at the Hesperide. "Thank you, Zoë."

Zoë merely nodded, not trusting herself to speak as she realized they wouldn't get a chance to say goodbye once Hercules managed to obtain the apple, as he would have to run before Ladon or her sisters caught him in the Garden.

After she took a few steps forward, she suddenly froze on her step and looked back at Hercules. "Once you get the apple, take Anaklusmos and run. I will distract Ladon so it does not follow you."

Hercules nodded and smiled charmingly at her. "Do not concern yourself, my dear friend. I will visit you once I am done with my quest."

Zoë smiled thinly before rushing through the last yards towards the tree, calling Ladon as she neared it. She smiled as Ladon approached her, and took him slightly away from the tree, always caressing his scaled nose. Ladon would never let himself be baited away from the tree, but Zoë and him had always had a close relationship, herself being the only one allowed to feed the poisonous dragon by hand.

She couldn't speak that time, though, overcome by a feeling of uncomfortable dread, as if she was only now realizing the bad choice she had made. She forced herself to ignore those feelings, though, and slowly talked to the dragon before her about her day, forcing herself not to look at the tree in order not to be caught by its guardian.

Between the rain and the wind, she couldn't hear Hercules, not even if she tried, so she soothingly caressed her dragon friend, while thinking of the nice friend she had managed to make, and forcing herself to ignore her aching heart at not even being able to say goodbye at him.

She stayed there for hours. Eventually, the rain stopped and the fog dispersed, so it was a starry, clear night when Zoë finally departed that spot of the garden towards the comfort of a warm bath and her bed. So deep in thought she was, that she didn't even notice her sisters surrounding her until the oldest of them spoke.

"Behold, my dear sisters," Hesperia said, startling Zoë as she exited the shadows before her, so similar to Zoë herself, her stance regal yet grave. "A traitor in our midst."

Zoë took a step back as the other Hesperides walked into the moonlight also, and gulped, willingly trying to remain hopeful.

Hercules was her friend, after all. He would help her, just as she helped him.

* * *

The silence was complete in the room reserved for important audiences.

Hesperia, as the oldest of the Hesperides, sat regally on the throne kept for when their mother, the goddess Hesperis, chose to visit her daughters. Their sisters Erytheia and Aegle stood on either side of her, their faces inexpressive as their older sister had taught her. The youngest Hesperide, Arethusa, which was also the closest one to Zoë, stood slightly apart, her eyes set on Zoë with apprehension.

Zoë stood before them, her clothes and hair once again dry. A satchel and her weapons rested against the wall near the door behind her in the case that she was found guilty. She knew a servant had been sent after Hercules in order to get his testimony but still, Zoë quivered, not with fear, but with barely restrained anger.

How did her sisters dare summoning a trial against her? How could they turn their back on her like that, after what they had gone through?

By then, she could barely feel any weariness at being awake in the middle of the night, nor was she sensible to the cold lingering within her by the long hours she spent under the freezing rain. Hot anger boiled inside of her, feeling her with rage at being so utterly humiliated.

At last, Zoë straightened, squaring her shoulders and locking her hands behind her back. She stared directly at Hesperia with narrowed eyes, all of that combined with her loose, luscious curls and black orbs making her look reminiscent to a member of royalty.

Hesperia stared back calmly, her voice even against her sister's rebellious stand. "Is there anything you would like to say in your favour?"

Zoë frowned. She had been trying to do so for hours. "Hercules confirmed he needed to get a golden apple under Queen Hera's command. What was I supposed to do? We have never stood against the will of the Olympian Gods."

"Yet you have failed your duty, sister," Hesperia replied, "If there was any way we could prove your story, this would be much easier for us all."

Zoë's voice hardened. "If you could wait for what the story our servant will bring, sister, then you would have a way to prove mine."

Hesperia chose not to reply, but glanced at the door on the other side of the room, her eyebrows raising as a servant opened the door and bowed deeply to the leader of the Hesperides. "Ah, there he is! Come, tell us what this demigod son of Zeus has said about my sister's claims."

The servant didn't look at Zoë as he hurried towards the group of sisters. He bowed deeply at the four sisters before him before standing up as well a few steps to Zoë's right. "Hercules has spoken to me, my lady. He has stated that he did saw Mistress Zoë by the gardens distracting the dragon Ladon so he took that opportunity to steal that apple. He claims to have never spoken to Mistress Zoë."

Arethusa sighed and covered her eyes sadly as the other three glared at Zoë. "Oh, Zoë."

Zoë's eyes widened by the betrayal, only then realizing how foolish she had been by trusting a man she did not know. The only thing left was to fight in order to obtain her own justice so she glared at the servant murderously before looking at her sisters with accusation, pain, and outrage in her eyes. "That is not true! Why am I not in possession of Anaklusmos anymore then? Hercules is clearly lying!"

"You could have thrown Anaklusmos in the garden once you saw your mistake, making us spend centuries looking for it," Hesperia replied, her voice dropping to a threatening whisper, her mind made up once she heard the servant's condemning words. "How can we believe you?"

Zoë's voice dropped too, shaken by what she was hearing, by the betrayal of not only the man she had believed to be her friend, but also her own sisters, her own blood. "You would rather believe a man who you have never met rather than your own sister?"

Erytheia and Aegle dropped her eyes onto the ground as an uncomfortable, heavy silence fell on the room, and tried to take themselves away from the scene unfolding before their very eyes. Arethusa gazed between Zoë and Hesperia with tearful eyes, willing herself to speak in her sister's favour but also, fear at her oldest sister striking her heart. Finally, realizing which one was greater, she sunk her head shamefully, silently releasing the tears she had been withholding.

Hesperia stared right into her fallen sister's eyes, her eyes not betraying any emotion at expelling her own sister. If she was at pain by her actions, Zoë would never know. "That is exactly it, sister. We have never seen him."

Zoë took a step back, stricken by the sudden grief place on her. She glanced at each of her sisters in turn, desperately trying to find an ally, just one of them who would take pity on her and stand by her side.

Not one of them spoke up.

Zoë closed her eyes, tears rolling down her cheeks as she was forced to face the gravity of her situation. Out of sheer naivety and little knowledge of the world around them, she had let herself be fooled by a traitor and had failed while performing her duties.

She didn't deserve to be forgiven and honestly, she could hardly forgive herself as she thought of her fatal mistake.

When Zoë opened her eyes again, they were filled with nothing but strength and courage. She nodded at the leader of the Hesperides. "You have made your choice, Hesperia, so get on with it. Do not keep me waiting uselessly."

Hesperia regarded her sister silently before raising from her mother's throne. Her voice seemed to boom regally as she declared the fatal words, "Zoë, Daughter of Atlas, Guardian of the Hesperides, you have failed your duties as a member of our Garden. I, Hesperia, daughter of Atlas and leader of the Hesperis have listened to your testimony and I declare you guilty of your crimes. You are hereby expelled from this territory. I do not ever want to see you here again."

Zoë glared at her sisters before stalking away. She grabbed her satchel, hung her quiver across her back and was out of the door without looking back one last time at the family who loved, despised and denied her.

Hopefully, she would never have to see them again.

* * *

The following month passed by her in a blur.

Zoë thanked her stars every day that she had practiced her skills as a warrior religiously, as her bow had been saving her life on a daily basis during her time in the woods.

Things had been repetitive, mundane and solitary ever since she was expelled from the garden. She'd been hunting and trying to find shelter during daylight, barely sleeping with her quiver close to her during nightfall.

Everyday the same routine.

It was exhausting, fighting to survive every day without a fault.

She tried to be always on the move, always distancing herself from those who betrayed her, her mind eternally placed on the man who was to blame for everything that happened to her.

Always praying to the gods. Hoping almost desperately that one of them would free her from this maddening impasse reigning on her life.

One night, as she was carefully trekking through the woods, she began to be painfully aware that the sun had already set behind her. She knew that she needed to find shelter as soon as possible or otherwise prepare herself to spend the night up in a tree in perpetual alertness while she prayed that the leaves and the darkness were enough to cover her.

Then, she heard a howl.

Zoë stalled, frozen in mid step. The howl didn't sound too far but she knew that they were fast, much faster than a simple human like she had come to be ever since she left the gardens and therefore, resigned her immortality.

She knew they surely had picked up her scent already.

Immediately after that fact dawned on her, she began to run in the opposite direction, knowing nothing she did would be enough to survive the predators unless a miracle happened, but still determined to fight with every ounce of strength she possessed to survive, to prove the fates that her time hadn't come yet.

The forest was a dull green blur around her, silent except for her light, fast steps, her tired gasps and her rapidly beating heart.

She briefly wondered if there was any creature witnessing her escape, whether they could her heartbeat as loud as she did.

As a river suddenly showed itself flowing merrily before her, Zoë was filled with instant relief. She reckoned that if she was able to cross the river, then she would stand a chance of the predators losing her tracks.

As she placed her feet on the shallow waters, though, the biggest wolf she had ever laid eyes on, materialized itself by the other side of the river, its silver eyes set on her.

Zoë didn't take her eyes off the wolf, not even as she felt two other presences behind her, their strong, intense scent filling up her nostrils.

She was surrounded.

Her time had come.

Zoë could almost hear the Fates laughing at her, mocking her for her ridiculous belief that she, a mere, simple, irrelevant human, could modify her destiny on her own.

Stupid old hags.

There was only one thing left to do if she was to keep her honour and pride as she left the Earth and fought for her place in Elysium once she reached the Underworld.

So Zoë sank onto the ground on her knees, indifferent by the cool water wetting her skirts, her eyes set on the advancing wolf.

If she was to die, she would so bravely.

As the wolf lifted a paw over the transparent waters, it suddenly perked up and gazed behind Zoë, immediately after bowing its head and backing away. Just then, Zoë heard steps behind her and, before she could turn, someone spoke.

"It appears we have found ourselves a new recruit."

Zoë turned around in a hurry, her eyes widening at the group of girls before her, all of them wearing silver clothes, their bows prepared just in case.

Zoë then focused on their leader and gulped.

She knew the name of this group and their leader.

She was before the presence of the Hunters.

And it was their leader, Lady Artemis herself, the one who had spoken.

She had prayed, and the gods had answered.


	2. Remember

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! Chapter 2 is here!
> 
> About this chapter: I was researching on the hunters and Zoë and I came across the myth of Kallisto. While it doesn't do Artemis any favours, I thought it was great to develop Zoë's storyline so I've adapted it a little bit and this chapter revolves around it.
> 
> Also, IMPORTANT: While I've managed to keep it general and I didn't go into details there are mentions of sexual assault in this chapters so reader's discretion is advised.

The first thing that made Zoë feel at home with the hunters was the allyship between them.

So, yes, she had to endure some cold attitude from those who became hunters a few centuries before her but they had made it clear that in danger, they would guard each other's back, even if it meant their deaths.

Zoë appreciated that more than she could say with words.

She also realized quite early during her time under Lady Artemis's rule that all the girls in the group had stories like her, in which the world had cast them aside for some reason, and they had stumbled across the world until Artemis took them in.

Zoë had been a few decades with them when Artemis began to allow her to hunt with her own chosen group of privileged maidens. There, she had become friends with Phoebe, a ginger daughter of Apollo with incredible tracking skills, and Kallisto, the lieutenant of the Hunters.

Zoë gazed at her ginger friend beside her, barely listening as she babbled on about one thing or the other as they made their way towards the nearest lake to bath. The hunter smiled, knowing that the hardships were going to appear in her life again, because life was hard, but she would never have to face them on her own.

Not when there women standing around her in support.

"My friend, I know that you have stopped listening a while ago," Phoebe taunted her, her musical voice light with a glee that never seemed to simmer down.

"I apologize, Phoebe, I was reminiscing," Zoë replied before smirking and shoving Phoebe away playfully, "besides, you were probably telling me a story I have heard dozens of times before."

"Why am I friends with such a cold person?" Phoebe replied with a laugh.

"I am cold and thoughtful, while you are cheerful and childish," Zoë shrugged, smiling when Phoebe snorted. "It only makes sense for immortals so different to be the best of friends."

Phoebe smiled brightly at her but then, they finally made it to the lake, and found a girl sobbing heavily on her knees, her hands cradling her hair desperately.

The pair of hunters stood frozen on their spot, dread growing in their hearts as they recognized the dirty blonde hair pulled in a messy bun, the tall frame and the olive skin tone, yet struggled putting together the image before them to the mental image they had of Kallisto.

Kallisto was a greek slave that joined the hunters after the fall of Troy. She escaped the city in the midst of the slaughter and joined the Hunters, soon enough becoming close friends with Artemis and being honoured as her lieutenant. She was their rock, perpetually calm and determined in spite of the odds, her glare able to scare off even the most insistent of men.

To see Kallisto so broken was a picture neither Zoë nor Phoebe had wanted to encounter in their lifetime.

After what felt like an eternity, yet not one long enough, Zoë slowly advanced towards their friend and lieutenant, Phoebe hot on her heels.

"Kallisto?" Zoë asked as she neared the sobbing girl but she raised a hand, ordering to stop them, before standing up, her back still to her friends.

"Do not take another step." Kallisto ordered, her voice harsh with swallowed anguish. She stood tall, despite of the sobs still rocking her body.

Zoë and Phoebe exchanged a concerned and slightly bewildered look before the latter raised her hands in surrender. "Kallisto, we are staying where we are, we promise but please, tell us what is wrong."

"I will tell you what is happening."

Kallisto stiffened noticeably at that voice, proceeding to bury her face in her hands defeatedly, her sobs now louder, as if the lieutenant of the Hunters had finally lost any self-control she had left. Behind her, Phoebe and Zoë turned slowly, their eyes widening as they laid on Lady Artemis behind them.

If it wasn't for her silvery-yellow eyes and her potent, godly aura, one could perfectly mistake her for Phoebe's older sister. Her long auburn hair was braided and fell down her back. She wore a silver, shimmering, hooded, hunting dress like the other girls, her quiver hung across her back and her bow clutched in her fist. Her silver circlet shimmered against the sunlight as the goddess pulled down her hood.

Zoë and Phoebe knelt at once, Artemis barely restrained anger warning them to be as polite as they could manage. Zoë whispered as the goddess of maidenhood walked between her and Phoebe, "Greetings, my lady."

"Stop with the false courtesy, Zoë, daughter of Atlas," Artemis's voice had lowered to a whisper, her eyes set on the her broken best friend who still refused to turn around. "Kallisto, you will only worsen your faith if you continue hiding the truth to me. Turn around, now."

"We don't understand, my lady. Kallisto, what is happening?" Phoebe asked as she and Zoë stood again, her voice trailing off as their lieutenant took a deep breath.

Then, Kallisto turned around, showing their barely protruding belly to her three close friends. She gazed at Artemis with ferocity, her tears no longer acknowledged as they continued to roll down her cheeks. "My lady, King Zeus cornered me a few months ago while I was bathing in a lake. This is his son I am carrying."

Phoebe and Zoë exchanged a look, barely withholding from gasping as Kallisto's story dawned on them. They knew what being 'cornered' meant, for they had all experienced at least once. It was just the world's way of working, and that meant that men were educated under the belief they could have anything they wanted, including women. Zoë, just like the rest of the women, had been taught that they were to accept men's advances and be grateful if it wasn't the end of them, so when she started living with women only, swearing off men, it was only then that she began to understand how wrong was that conception.

There was something she knew with clarity, though. As Kallisto had been raped by Zeus, there was no way Artemis would punish anyone but Kallisto herself, even if she was her best friend.

However, she knew she couldn't say anything against it so at last, Zoë could only manage to cover her mouth with shock, her eyes welling up with frantic tears as she realized the gravity of her friend's situation.

If Artemis noticed her followers reactions, she didn't comment on it. She walked forward until she stood before a shivering Kallisto, proceeding to reach down and grab the cloak Kallisto had been wearing to conceal her now obvious pregnancy. The goddess handed it to her lieutenant and began to walk away back towards the camp.

"You three, follow me. There are matters to be discussed," Artemis ordered as she strutted past Zoë and Phoebe.

The three hunters could only stare at each other with great fear before following their goddess silently, fear expanding to her every nerves.

* * *

"When did this happen?"

They had made it to Artemis' tent, ignoring for the most part the looks sent their way by the other, curious hunters. The goddess sat on her throne, her eyes pensive as she played with one of her hunting knives. Kallisto stood before her, flanked by Zoë on her right and Phoebe on her left. Zoë and Phoebe kept their arms crossed in order to restrain themselves from protecting their friend while Kallisto kept her hands clasped together before her, her back straightened proudly even if her eyes betrayed the grief and fear she felt.

Zoë looked apprehensively at her lieutenant, bewildered as the usually blunt and courageous greek swallowed nervously. As bad as it may sound, she found it hard to recognize her friend when she looked so weak but still, she couldn't help but understand the dynamic displayed before her.

She imagined this was the sort of friendship anyone could hope to have with a goddess, one in which things were okay for one second, and a mess in the next.

Kallisto took a hesitant step forward, so Zoë was able to see Phoebe a few feet beside her. The two exchanged a look filled with dread before tuning into the meeting in time to see Kallisto kneel before their leader.

"My lady, Lord Zeus approached me disguised as your ladyship, and cornered away from my fellow hunters. Once he...was done, he showed himself in his true form. A weeks later I discovered I was carrying his baby," Kallisto explained, her voice quivering for the first time when Artemis didn't react visibly to the lieutenant's story. "I apologize, my lady, I did not mean for this to happen. I tried to refuse but he would have none of it. I did not want to hid the truth from you but I feared your reaction at my broken vow. Please, please have mercy."

Artemis regarded her best friend in contemplation before raising from her throne, slowly walking towards Kallisto. As she reached her, she rested her hands on her friend's shivering shoulders. "What happened is not your fault, my dear. My father, Lord Zeus, gets what he wants, it has always been that way and neither me nor anyone else can hope to stand against it."

Behind the pair, Zoë and Phoebe released a breath they did not know they were holding, relief overpowering their senses as they saw their friend okay and forgiven by their goddess.

But then, Artemis continued.

The goddess of maidens narrowed her eyes after a second, her expression growing colder as rage was noticeably filling her again. She stepped away from her best friend and continued talking as she sat on her throne, "However, you did hide this from me. Your vows clearly state that you must be loyal to me and you broke them by being dishonest towards me, your lady and your best friend. As your friend, your clear distrust of me hurts me clearly. As your commander, it makes me realize you are not the best candidate for the position as lieutenant of my hunters."

Zoë stepped forward, her hands hold up in a pleading manner. "My lady, please-"

"Enough. I will not hear anything from you," Artemis cut her off, her eyes still on her fallen lieutenant. "Is there anything you would like to say in your favour, Kallisto?"

"It's okay, Zoë. I saw this coming," Kallisto looked at the hunter with a small smile before sobering up as she glanced at her goddess, the one she had given everything for. Her eyes hardened with resolve to spend the rest of her time on Earth with calmness and courage. She took a deep breath and spoke at the goddess, her voice almost a spat as she thought of how the gods had forsaken her, messing with her life at will, leaving her to die once they were done. "What's your decision, my lady?"

Artemis cocked her head thoughtfully. "I can't let this go unpunished. I will allow you to have your son but I will advise you to run as fast as you can on your paws for if we catch you, Kallisto, make no mistake. You will not live to tell the tale."

Kallisto stepped back in fear. "Paws?"

For an answer, Artemis snapped her fingers, immediately transforming her former best friend, her former lieutenant, into a big brown bear. Behind them, Zoë and Phoebe tried to run towards the aid of their friend but Artemis held a hand up threateningly, warning them from not taking another step. The goddess then stood up and glared at the bear. "Run. Now."

The bear whimpered but complied, barely looking at either of her friends as she rushed away of the tent and into the night.

Artemis stared after her friend with grief before scowling as she looked at the two remaining hunters, whose eyes were still on the entrance their friend had escaped through. "Prepare our supplies. The three of us are leaving to track her down tomorrow at sunset."

Zoë turned towards the goddess immediately, her expression showing the outrage she didn't dare to convey in her words. "My lady, we are Kallisto's friends. You surely cannot expect us-"

"I can because I am your commander and you have sworn an oath to me. I do, because you are her closest friends, you spent every day with her, and yet you failed to see what was so obvious," Artemis snapped in return. She gestured in a dismissive manner at the two hunters. "Prepare our supplies."

Zoë and Phoebe looked at each other with barely concealed anger before bowing their heads stiffly and disappearing into the night as well.

* * *

Zoë and Phoebe tried to slow themselves down, giving Kallisto the opportunity to escape. Months passed, in which Zoë and Phoebe advanced as slowly as possible through endless forests, mostly involved in grieving silences or angry periods in which they practiced their fencing skills to make their anger evaporate before Artemis joined them again.

They tried everything in their power to slow themselves down but they were perfectly aware they had nowhere else to go, so they couldn't risk offending the hunting goddess. They continued moving and, since they were immortals and excellent hunters, and Kallisto was now a bear that left very obvious footprints all over her tracks, it only passed ten months before they caught her.

It was nightfall, one in which the clear, starry sky lightened the scene at that clearing in the forest perfectly. Zoë and Phoebe stood side by side, their bows aiming reluctantly at the bear and the cub bear hidden protectively behind its mother's legs.

Artemis materialized between her two hunters, gazing at the bears before her with disdain and carefully hidden pain. Then, she glanced at her followers. "Shoot them."

Zoë shook her head, desperate tears rolling down her eyes as she looked at the goddess pleadingly, her bow still aiming her friend and her child. "My lady, I beg of you-"

"I have been listening to Kallisto's prayers," Artemis said, her voice a whisper, "Which is why I ask this of you. Kallisto, tell her of your prayers."

Artemis snapped her fingers and Kallisto turned back into human, her face pale as tears rolled down her cheeks. She looked at Zoë and Phoebe with a small smile, her child shivering behind her legs. "I have missed you Zoë, Phoebe. Lady Artemis is right. I cannot continue this life, being hunt down by you, unable to rest. My son Arkas does not deserve this kind of life and I cannot give her one different, even if that means our death. I love you two so much and I forgive you. It is okay."

Zoë looked at her with wide eyes, tears rolling down her cheeks, anguish clutching at her throat the more she studied her friend. She took in her dishevelled, dirty hair, the bags under her eyes, and her shivers as she knelt down, hugging her son behind her back.

She remembered the laughing girl who would practice archery with her and Phoebe, the one who cheered whenever she managed to best Phoebe, cursing when she lost against the ginger. She remembered how carefree they used to be, their naivety clear as they thought life would be this happy for the rest of eternity.

She could not do this so she threw her bow to the ground and glared at Artemis. "Kill me with them, I care nothing about it. I will not kill my friends."

Phoebe threw her bow to the ground too and smiled at Kallisto before reaching and grabbing Zoë's hand in solidarity. The two then glared at their lady in defiance, preparing themselves for their end.

Surprisingly, the goddess of maidenhood smirked in response before snapping her fingers again. At once, Kallisto and Arkas disappeared up into the night, new stars appearing on the sky above them after a few minutes.

Zoë opened her mouth in shock, whispering as she looked up, "What have you done?"

Artemis was calm, a sufficient smile on her lips as she stared at her two hunters. "I wanted to test you, Zoë. I have been studying you, and I have noticed you have what it takes for the task I have pending for you. When you refused to kill your friend, even at the cost of your own death, you confirmed that you have the loyalty needed to do your new job."

Zoë looked at her lady with a frown, barely noticing the tears still rolling silently down her face. "What task."

"The task of taking over Kallisto's duties," Artemis replied, "As of now, you will be called Zoë Nightshade, lieutenant of the Hunters of Artemis."

That night, long after Artemis left them and Phoebe fell asleep, Zoë stood guarding their hiding spot, her eyes on the new constellation before her, which was shaped like a mother bear and her cub. When she managed to speak into the night, her words came out with clear with determination.

"I will honour your memory every day, Kallisto. I will use my position to defend all women unable to defend themselves. I will use my position to save all the women I can, in honour of you, the one I could not save. I will remember you every day until I die. I swear it on the River Styx."


	3. Bringer Of Healing And Disease

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 3 is finally here! So excited about it because things are getting real. I hope you guys will love reading it as much as I loved writing it.
> 
> Also, as you have probably realized, I've given the hunters sort of like a feminist agenda which, I know it might not be quite according to the times they are living but also, they are a group of immortal woman who have renounced love and men. I'm writing about them as a badass feminist group. Sue me. I do want to make them have a journey in which they decide what their role in the world is and I hope I'm able to accomplish that by the end of this fic.
> 
> Chapter 4 is going to be named "Sisters In Arms" so please give this story a kudos, bookmark it and comment so you can stay tuned because it's going to be so cool.

It had taken a full century for the hunters to heal from Kallisto's death.

It wasn't only their former lieutenant's horrible fate that shocked them but also, the truth that had come with it.

Most of them had taken their oaths as a way to avoid a mortal life in which they were underappreciated and even threatened but mostly, they had become maidens to avoid the men who made it clear they thought women were theirs to own.

Regardless of their background, age or race, they all shared a common ache for freedom, a common need to feel like they were heard and that their experiences mattered. However, it wasn't until Kallisto's death that they realized they hadn't reached that freedom, not entirely at least.

The fact was that they hadn't been mistreated for their age, their weakness, or their social status. They'd been mistreated because of their condition as women. They'd been mistreated because they lived in a society in which women were taught to believe they were little more than objects while men grew up thinking the world, including women, was theirs for the taking.

It was then that the hunters stopped blaming Artemis for Kallisto's murder. Not because they were blind followers of a goddess in the wrong, but because they were beginning to understand that the society was a reflection of their gods. As a female goddess herself, Artemis couldn't be blamed for an ideology that had been damaging towards her too.

All in all, the conflict seemed even more complex that they thought at first, so the hunters began to feel the need for a safe haven, somewhere they could rest, ponder, and rally stronger.

The answer had been Delos, Artemis' birthplace.

Zoë had taken up the habit of walking across the island in the middle of the night ever since they had arrived, sometimes with Phoebe, sometimes by herself. When accompanied, the girls talked about their hunters and their promising future as potential immortal forces of change, responsible to voice the needs of those silenced by the powerful.

When on her own, Zoë had become used to voicing her musings to Kallisto, abiding by her oath to never forget her friend or what happened to her. The stars had always been greatly dear to her, as, in her mind, they stood for the promise of light in the middle of darkness, and that's why she was comfortable talking aloud to them and to her lost friend.

Slowly, Zoë grew thoughtful as a result, taking advantage of the silence to clear her thoughts, slowly yet surely training herself to stay focused and alert on what she knew was their goal in that challenging world.

"Lieutenant!"

Zoë sighed as she was snapped out of her musings. If only it was night already, so she could have a break.

The hunter then gazed at the deep blue sea before her in a reverent manner, absorbing the breathtaking scenery before her very eyes. The sun cast its glaring light on seemingly the entire Earth, not a cloud around to stop it. Birds chirped merrily from the woods to the lieutenant's right, and the wind flowed oddly gently for a location as near to the ocean as was theirs, making her silver cape flow gently behind her, brushing itself against her bare ankles.

She would have liked to stay there for hours on end, rejoicing in the peace they were enjoying while guests in Delos and the peace she had reached in her own mind, having finally managed to heal from Hercules and Lord Zeus' offences.

However, she was Zoë Nightshade. It was time to lead.

Withholding a quiet sigh of exasperation and refraining herself from taking her uncomfortable silver circle off her forehead, Zoë turned around and walked back towards the open land just besides their camp and under the shadows of Leto's palace, her focus now entirely on her sisters.

The hunters had increased numbers ever since Zoë became their lieutenant, now standing at more than two hundred girls. On that particular day, Zoë had them practising sword-fighting in pairs, as two girls had arrived to them the night before and Zoë wanted to test their skills.

"Lieutenant," Phoebe greeted as Zoë neared her, lowering her voice as the pair began walking to continue teasingly, "I'm glad you could pull yourself out of your daydream."

Zoë smiled slightly, her eyes on the fighters around her, "it's rather reckless of you to speak to your lieutenant in such disrespectful manner, Phoebe."

"As if you would do anything against me," Phoebe shrugged with a smirk before sobering up, having actual important matters to discuss with her friend. "Anyways, I have supervised the newcomers' training myself, as you ordered."

Zoë nodded before stopping to correct the grasp one of her sisters had on her sword. She then gestured at Phoebe as they resumed their stroll. "Very well. What do you think of them?"

"Neither of them have ever held a weapon before, unsurprisingly. They are beginning their training with Maya tomorrow," Phoebe began with a shrug, and crossed her arms to her chest as the two stopped walking, having reached the centre of the training grounds, the hunters continuing fighting around them. Phoebe took an arrow out of her quiver and began to play with it. "However, both Sophia and Katerina have quite a vast knowledge on medicinal herbs, as their father was a physician. I want them to be in my medic squad."

"That's quite alright. You are in need of staff, after all," Zoë nodded her agreement. She settled her eyes on the two kids slightly apart from the bigger group, and sighed as they held their swords as if fearing the blades would bite them. Their father had been killed by a group of thieves while walking home one night after checking on a patient. Artemis had found the two girls wandering through the streets of Mykonos and flashed them to Delos after turning them immortal. They were only ten years old.

"We should make an exception on our initiation' ritual, just this one time," Zoë finally commented, "these girls need to be shown support, not to be further traumatized by their new sisters."

"I do like our initiation, though. It's always nice to see our new sisters squealing when we throw them into the freezing waves of the Aegean Sea," Phoebe mused as she scratched her chin with the tip of her arrow. After a few contemplative moments, she finally scowled at her lieutenant with resignation. "Fine, but we are doing it with the next one that comes. I don't care how scared they might be."

Zoë merely smiled in response before taking a step forward, her face concealing itself behind an authoritative mask. "Hunters! Gather around!"

The hunters did so at once, pushing each other and laughing as they approached their lieutenant and her second-in-command. Sophia and Katerina followed Maya, the hunters' best fighter, rather hesitantly, and stayed slightly apart to their group, their colourful dress clashing against their new sisters' silver ones.

"As you know, Sophia and Katerina joined us yesterday from the island of Mykonos. They took our lady's oath and therefore, as of now, they are our new sisters. I expect each and every one of you to protect and look after them as you do with the rest of us," Zoë called before looking towards the twins, her eyes softening slightly when they took a fearful step backwards. The lieutenant then knelt before the pair, her voice dropping from the commanding tone to her true one. "Sophia and Katerina, the same goes for you. We are your sisters now. In our group, we are all equal, we all matter, and we all support one another. Abide by our philosophy and you'll find not only a safe space with us but also, a home. Is that understood?"

"Yes, lieutenant," the two girls replied quietly, yet without quivering. Then, they both straightened their backs and faced their leader proudly in an attempt to impress the warrior before them.

Zoë hid a smile before reaching into her bag, pulling out two small silver capes which she handed to the mesmerized twins. "In that case, these are yours. Welcome home, sisters."

The twins bowed their head in response before giggling and helping each other tie their cloaks around their neck. Zoë chuckled lowly and raised to her feet but, before she could direct her sisters to the dining pavilion for lunch, movement by the distant tree line distracted her.

Zoë took a step forward, her eyes narrowing as they studied the horizon, almost believing to have been deceived by her own eyes if it wasn't that hers were the perfect eyes of an immortal. As if on cue, a tall figure, almost taller than any creature Zoë had encountered, showed itself and stared right into the lieutenant's eyes.

Zoë straightened, her eyes darkening dangerously.

A male.

"Intruder by the treeline!" Zoë barked harshly, stepping before the twins as she took her bow out of the quiver hung across her back, "archers, aim!"

At once, the two hundred hunters of Artemis aimed their bows, and waited for their commander's order. Zoë opened her mouth to give it when a silver burst of light went off right beside the intruder, and Artemis herself appeared.

Zoë lowered her bow instantly and ordered her sisters to do the same. Then, they watched in horror as goddess and male walked side by side towards the gathered crowd.

"My lady," Zoë began when Artemis and her companion were in earshot, confusion making her voice quiver. "I don't understand."

"I come to you with great news," Artemis replied, her voice as regal as ever. She looked at the man beside her before regarding her followers once again. "This is Orion, a giant son of Gaia. He is the newest member of the hunters."

With that, Artemis and Orion continued their way towards Leto's castle, the hunters following their stroll with shock and outrage. Sophia looked up at Zoë with a confused frown. "Lieutenant, I thought male members were not welcome in our group."

Zoë wrapped an arm around the younger girl's shoulders and tried to smile as confidently as she could. "I will take care of it, Sophia. Don't worry."

* * *

Her steps were purposeful, rhythmically hitting against the stone courtyard as she strutted past the entrance, past her fellow comrades and into the castle itself, ignoring the beauty of the architecture that usually managed to astound her.

She had braided her wavy, dark locks for the occasion, and now hung it over one shoulder in order not to mess with the quiver full of arrows that hung across her back. She had left her hunting knives in her tent but she held her bow tightly in one hand, unconsciously gripping it even tighter as she felt yet another wave of anger towards her lady.

She had also changed into her silver battle dress, which reached to her knees, so as she walked through corridor after corridor, passing open windows throughout her journey, her entire body seemed to glimmer silver. She felt protected, even stronger in her armour, and she used that feeling to gather every ounce of bravery she had to fulfill her next task.

Finally, she reached the middle of the castle, which had been altered to contain a greenhouse. Zoë took a deep breath, straightened her back, and marched inside.

Zoë stopped by the edge of the greenhouse and bowed. "My lady,"

That day, Artemis had chosen to adopt the form of a young adult. She wore her long, auburn hair in a high ponytail, and her silver long dress glimmered as the goddess turned from the flowers she was studying to face her lieutenant. "Zoë, dear, please come in."

Zoë nodded and took a steps forward, standing straight as she stopped a few feet from her lady. Artemis sat on the stone bench behind her and cocked her head as she studied Zoë silently.

Finally, Artemis gestured at Zoë's hair, "I have noticed you don't wear your hair loose as often as you did before. You braid it now."

Zoë shrugged, "I find it a better fit for a hunter, my lady."

"Agreed. It quite fits you, lieutenant," Artemis praised softly before sighing, deciding not to ignore the elephant in the room any further. "I suppose you are here to talk about Orion."

Zoë nodded. "Yes, my lady. I apologize for my bluntness but I thought we didn't accept males into the hunt."

"Unless they prove themselves worthy of it," Artemis retorted calmly, yet her eyes remained set on Zoë's, as if daring her to question her decision. "Orion is an extraordinary archer and an even better friend. He will be a wonderful asset to our hunt."

Zoë shook her head slightly at that. "That might be so, my lady, but with all due respect, what about my sisters?"

Artemis cocked her head questioningly. "What about them?"

Zoë's voice hardened from the anger of having to explain that to the maiden goddess. "They came here to escape men. How are they supposed to feel now that not even our group is a safe space for them?"

Artemis stood at that, and made her way towards the flowers she had been studying when Zoë arrived. "Orion is a giant, not a man. Besides, I truthfully think you're overreacting, Zoë."

"I am not! My sisters have been assaulted, sold and abused as if they were nothing! Men have been a threat to them, and that's why they are here. They might have healed, but they will always remember their past!" Zoë retorted angrily, forgetting herself as the need to defend her sisters arose. Then, her voice dropped pleadingly as Artemis turned towards her lieutenant with a murderous glare. "My lady, please, you must reconsider this."

"That's enough, lieutenant. I am the leader of this hunt and it is up to me who enters this hunt and who doesn't," Artemis barked harshly in response, her voice dropping threateningly right after. "Another word, Zoë, and I will find myself another girl to lead my hunters."

Zoë took a step back in shock, her eyes wide due to the threat while her heart beat rapidly from anger and distress. Finally, she bowed stiffly and exited the gardens.

She would have to find another way to defend her sisters.

* * *

That night, a feast was organized to honour the first male member of the hunters of Artemis.

The Dining Pavilion had been elegantly decorated. Flowers hung from every corner and slow, beautiful music resounded through the open space. Instead of the smaller tables that used to occupy the room, long tables had been aligned vertically, long benches settled on either side of them.

Facing those tables, a smaller table had been set, in which Artemis sat, Orion to her left, her brother Apollo, who had arrived that afternoon, to her right, and Zoë besides him.

Zoë was now leaning against one of the tents pillars, sipping from a goblet full of wine and watching as her sisters entered the tent laughing and pushing each other. All of them avoided looking at Orion as they sat themselves.

Zoë knew it was time for her to join her lady at the main table but she was reluctant to do so. She wasn't a very good actress, and she had learned to voice her thoughts whenever she deemed a situation unfair, so the idea of sitting and pretending everything was okay did not fit with her character at all.

Her eyes did wander towards the main table, though, and she couldn't help to study their newest brother. Orion was merely ten feet tall, probably the smallest of giants, and nothing really stopped him from looking like a extremely tall man except for his mechanical eyes, made by Hephaestus himself.

She should probably feel reassured by a giant that had the favour of the gods but instead, she felt only worse. She was witness of how Orion and Artemis interacted, as if they were the best of friends, and her heart beat painfully as she realized how uncertain was their future.

It wasn't jealousy, of course not, but rather concern for her sisters. If the hunt was not a safe space for the women who had joined them looking for an escape, then which place was? If their numbers dwindled because women refused to enter a group that also accepted men, then what was going to happen to those who couldn't save themselves? What would happen to them if no help arrived?

"Lieutenant, you are supposed to join us at the main table," a musical voice suddenly drawled behind her.

Zoë refrained from rolling her eyes as she turned to greet the owner of that voice.

Lord Apollo wasn't a strange sight amongst Artemis' hunters. As the lady's brother, Apollo visited rather often, sometimes even joining their hunt or training with them.

Of course, Apollo was a rather big flirt, but he never tried to seduce any of his sister's hunters. Whether it was out of fear of his sister or out of his respect for their maiden vows, that Zoë didn't know, but Apollo had become the only male the hunters were comfortable around.

It would help if he wasn't so cocky and annoyingly arrogant but well, not everything was possible.

"I apologize, my lord," Zoë replied as she bowed, "I was on my way to join you."

"Stop with that formal nonsense. We've known each other for a century, you can call me Apollo," Apollo shook his head before gesturing towards the distant beach. "Will you take a stroll with me, Zoë? I haven't been in Delos for a while now."

"Very well, Apollo, but I'm still 'lieutenant' to you," Zoë replied graciously, not really bothered by the god's request. No matter what, she knew Apollo's fear of Artemis overpowered whatever desire he might have for her hunters.

Apollo chuckled and nodded with his head. "Follow me, lieutenant."

Zoë complied, subtly studying the god beside her as they walked in silence. Even at night, Apollo seemed to glow golden. His toga hung loosely from one shoulder, his exposed chest tanned and ample. His blue eyes were lively and cheerful as the god gazed at the sky calmly, and his lips were always slightly pulled up, as if eternally amused.

All in all, Apollo, with his perfect blonde hair and his toned chest, was the epitome of hegemonic beauty, even more so than Hercules or even Orion. Still, Zoë felt nothing but indifference at him.

She couldn't help but feel slightly reassured by that. It felt good knowing men weren't tempting to her anymore.

"My lord, now that we are far enough, I suppose you could share with me your real purpose with this walk," Zoë commented as they stood by the cliff she had stood at that morning, both their gazes on the sea before them.

"You're clever, lieutenant," Apollo admitted as he carelessly crossed his arms over his chest. "I have asked you here because I want you to tell me your opinion of Orion, the newest member of your hunt."

Zoë raised her eyebrows in surprise. "I haven't had the chance to meet him, Apollo. Lady Artemis did speak well about him, though."

"I understand," Apollo nodded gravely, his lips not pulled up into a smile for the first time since Zoë had met the god. "My sister tells me you voiced your concerns over her decision, though."

"I did, yes," Zoë straightened subconsciously, still standing by her words even if they did cause her lady's anger. "I am concerned by my sister's reactions to a male allowed into our group. They have come here looking for a place in which their opinions mattered, in which they mattered. I fear they might begin to feel betrayed by ny lady's decision."

Apollo nodded silently at that before suddenly turning towards the hunter. "What do you know about the giants, lieutenant?"

Zoë frowned pensively. "They were children of Gaia, defeated during the Giant War centuries ago."

"That's right. Each giant was created as the bane of one of the Olympian Gods," Apollo explained, his eyes darkening with fury as he looked back towards the tent. "Orion did not fight during the war, obviously, but he was created as the bane of Artemis and myself. That's why he is an excellent hunter. He was created with the sole objective of hunting my sister and I."

Zoë gasped in outrage at that, offended by such a foul trick from the giant's part. "Lady Artemis will not believe either of us if we tell her of Orion's foul intentions and the moment she turns her back, he will be able to kill her."

"And even make my sister renounce of her maiden vows before showing his true colours," Apollo growled. He stared at the distant tent for a moment before turning to the hunter suddenly, his lips pulled up in his usual cocky smile once again. "It's best you stay here for a while, lieutenant, we wouldn't want my sister to believe we complotted against her newest friend."

"What are you going to do?" Zoë asked, dread expanding through her every vein and freezing her to her spot.

Apollo smirked. "Do not worry yourself, lieutenant. I am the god of diseases, after all."

And with that, Zoë was on her own.

She looked towards the distant tent warily before looking up towards the sky, trying to find reassurance in the stars.

However, the sky had been covered by clouds.

A storm was coming.

* * *

It wasn't until the following day that Zoë found out what had Apollo done.

When she returned to the feast, things were normal so she had sat on her designated seat, had made polite conversation with Apollo, Artemis and even Orion, and finally excused herself to spend the rest of the evening with her sisters.

At one point of the evening, Phoebe had suggested a drinking game and Zoë had been forced to participate.

After that, she didn't remember much else.

When she woke up, much later than usual, her head was pounding, her heart hammering painfully in her chest as her every limb ached tiredly, the result of a restless sleep. Zoë could taste alcohol in her breath, and her stomach revolved itself from the nausea.

Taking advantage of the silent atmosphere, Zoë shifted on her cot to make herself more comfortable, her eyes closing blissfully right after.

Then, a blood curdling scream echoed through their camp.

Zoë's eyes snapped open.

Trouble.

Zoë rushed out of her tent, and looked around her wildly, trying to find which of her sisters was in distress but then, she felt the bubble of heat behind her.

Slowly, Zoë turned, and her face blanched in shock as she covered her mouth with her hands.

Leto's palace was on fire.

"Lieutenant, it was Orion! I saw him burning the palace with greek fire!" Phoebe screamed as she rushed towards her leader.

Zoë's nodded as she internally tried to ignore her shock and confusion and rested a hand on her friend's shoulder. "Phoebe, I want every hunter out of their tents and gathered. Count them, make sure they are all okay. I will find Lady Artemis."

Phoebe nodded and the two friends split. Zoë quickly ran away from the group of tents and towards the palace, ordering every hunter she found to run towards Phoebe.

Once she made it to the former entrance, which led to the courtyard, Zoë found Artemis standing motionlessly, her gaze on something above her very eyes.

"My lady! What happened?" Zoë asked mournfully as she took in the ashes of what was once the beautiful castle they had all, including their lady, called home.

"Orion has been overtaken by madness, surely by my brother's doing," Artemis muttered, not even noticing the silver tears that fell rapidly down her cheeks as her gaze continued to be set somewhere above her very head.

Zoë looked up too, terrified of what she might find, and gasped in horror as her eyes landed on the head of one of Artemis's golden deers. The golden deers were Artemis's beloved animals, and they pulled Artemis' chariot. Whoever harmed them would pay with their death.

"I'm deeply sorry for your loss, my lady," Zoë finally whispered, rage blossoming inside of her at the offense made against her lady. Her head was cleared from the confusion and the alcohol as her resolve to avenge her lady grew. "What are your orders?"

Artemis turned towards Zoë, her eyes lit with more rage than Zoë had ever witnessed. "Gather your troops, lieutenant. We have a giant to hunt."

And, as Artemis walked away, she continued, "and we are not hunting on our own."

Zoë frowned, "what do you mean? My lady?"


	4. Sisters In Arms

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys!
> 
> Chapter 4 is now up! This is the last chapter set in Ancient Greece. For chapter 5 we are jumping into post First World War and it's going to be so cool if I say so myself.
> 
> Now, I had soo much fun writing this and I kind of really love it so I would really appreciate some feedback on this! I really hope you guys like this as much as I did.

"This is ridiculous," Phoebe declared, effectively breaking the tense silence that enveloped them and angrily stabbed the armrest of her chair with her hunting knife. "How long are we supposed to wait?"

The Fates had finally seen it fit for the hunters to receive notice of Orion's activities in the city of Ephesus, located by the coast of Ionia, and home to the temple of the goddess Artemis herself.

As Orion had been on a killing spree, leaving a trail of innocent dead animals throughout the continent, the Amazons had recognized the giant as a threat to the civilization, and they were hunting the giant as well. For a century and a half, Amazons and Hunters had hunted Orion down separately, refusing to work together, refusing to share the glory of killing such an impressive enemy. It wasn't until Orion reached Ephesus that the Amazons took that as a sign of the fates that Amazons and Hunters were supposed to work together if they wanted to end the present threat once and for all.

After much discussion, they had decided to meet in one of the buildings of the Artemision, which also served as the reception for Lady Artemis herself, the maidens who came to her temple seeking guidance and aid; and for the Hunters, of course.

They were now waiting in the Council Room meant for Artemis and her hunters. The room itself was placed on the highest floor of that building, and it was wide open, so there were neither ceiling or windows. Tall, thick stone pillars were placed systematically around the big, stone table by the middle of the room, the latter being delimited by a stone banister. Dark green vines climbed up the pillars and banisters, even spreading through certain parts of the floor, and adding a little bit of colour to the otherwise white room.

Currently, the five highest ranking hunters were sitting impatiently on half the wooden ornamental chairs spread around the table, waiting impatiently for the Amazons to join them. Their lieutenant stood slightly apart from the others, her gaze on the beautiful city of Ephesus.

Phoebe sighed frustratedly once more when no one answered her and, ignoring the warning looks the others threw her, she looked towards her best friend. "Zoë. We need to consider they might not be coming after all."

The hunter in question sighed at her second-in-command' insistence. Zoë was no longer wearing her cloak, as she deemed it too uncomfortable for war. Her silver battle dress reached to her knees, darker at the parts in which the chainmail was thicker. Her vambraces were tight around her forearms and her quiver hung across her back, her hunting knives strapped to her waist. Her hair was pulled into a tight, high braid, her silver circle glinting against the sunlight and matching her dark skin tone and her wide eyes nicely.

Zoë turned her head slightly as she felt her friend's impatience grow and spoke with authority, "They will come whenever they are ready for us."

The truth was, the city around her was too beautiful for her to willingly take her gaze away from it. She wished Orion hadn't chosen Ephesus as the battlefield for, though long ago abandoned by civilization, it was still beautiful, its architecture one of the most remarkable in the entire continent.

Thankfully, that day had dawned clear, not a cloud in sight, the dry weather perfect for a battle. The Artemision was located on a tall hill so from where she stood, she had a perfect sight of the buildings around them, slowly being covered by moss as people slowly forgot about that city. The Artemision was the exception to that rule, of course, as Artemis's cult was still one of the firmest but still, whenever she looked, she saw countless signs of forgetfulness, and it made her heart stir with concern.

It had been fine while they were aimlessly crossing the continent, following Orion's tracks in vain, but once they had legit notice of his whereabouts and once the Amazons agreed to ally with them against the giant, Zoë began to worry about the future of her hunters.

They had been going after Orion for 150 years, making him their one and only priority, focusing all of their efforts in taking revenge for the offence committed against their lady. Orion had become Zoë's obsession, his memory a shadow on her soul, preventing her from resting until she managed to end him.

Also, Artemis had refused Zoë's proposal of having the hunters travel around the world in order to help the women in need. According to Artemis, her hunters needed to stay put unless ordered otherwise, and she would send the new recruits to her.

So, as Zoë studied the city of Ephesus, she feared this would be the end for her hunters. She feared that, once Orion was out of the picture, they would be so unmotivated that their group would waver and eventually dismantle altogether.

Then, Phoebe spoke once again, ending Zoë's inner musings. "Doesn't it bother you? That they feel so comfortable leaving us waiting?"

Having enough, Zoë turned around and walked back towards her hunters, her voice acquiring an annoyed tone for the first time ever since they had first gotten there. "What do you want me to do? We have been chasing Orion on our own for 150 years and he's managed to outrun us every single time. We need the Amazons to win this, so I will wait for as long as I have to and that's the last I want to hear about it."

Phoebe frowned at that but refrained from replying, instead choosing to twirl her hunting knife aimlessly, its point still imbedded in the wooden armrest. To her right, Maya and Katerina, the hunter's best sword-fighter and archer respectively, glanced between their lieutenant and their second-in-command with trepidation before looking away. To Zoë left, Kamilla and Sophia, the best strategist and the best medic they had, nodded their agreement yet also refrained from intervening.

Tense silence enveloped them again after a few seconds, the six of them with countless of thoughts in their heads but reluctant to voice any of them, when a new voice spoke from the entrance.

"I see the Hunters have managed to get a wise lieutenant at last. We never managed to work with the last one, to be honest."

Five amazons then emerged from the entrance to the Council Room, all of them clad in leather battle dresses, their frames tall, their hairs either cut short or pulled up in high ponytails. All five of them had quivers strapped to their backs, their bows hanging from them as well, but they carried spears instead of hunting knives. At last, their Queen entered their room as well, and Zoë got a first look of her co-leader on this quest.

Queen Hippolyta appeared to be older than her comrades, probably on her mid-thirties. Her long, wavy blonde hair had been left loose, yet half of it was braided into an intricate pattern. She wore a leather armour like the other Amazons, but a heavy, fur cloak hung from her shoulders, her arrows peeking out from underneath the thick material. Her golden crown rested heavily on her head.

The queen moved forward calmly and sat in front of Zoë by the other side of the table, her companions sitting on either side of her. Hippolyta looked at the lieutenant with guarded, cold eyes, her expression that of a warrior queen. All in all, the Amazonian Queen was everything Zoë had imagined, yet nothing like it at the same time.

Zoë straightened, her voice polite, yet firm as she defended her long lost friend Kallisto. "Your Majesty. The reluctance was never on our side only, which is why your people has accepted to work with us only now. The threat has never been more real, and it is the one thing we should be focusing on."

Hippolyta cocked her head thoughtfully, her eyes inexpressive as they run over the hunter's face, "You speak of Orion, unless I'm mistaken. The giant that has been bred as the bane of your lady, is that the most real enemy your troops have faced?"

Zoë's eyes narrowed. She interlinked her hands behind her back, her voice raising as the anger Hippolyta caused in her made her forget everything about her nerves and fear of the uncertain. "She is your lady too, Your Majesty, considering Amazons are faithful followers of warrior deities, such as Lady Artemis herself. You'd be wise to show some respect in a quest to end those who would so bluntly disrespect her ladyship for as long as 150 years."

For the first time, Hippolyta narrowed her eyes threateningly, her voice dropping from politeness to a clear attempt of intimidation. "We are no one's servant dog, lieutenant. You'd be wise to remember it."

Phoebe tried to stand in anger, her hand already waving her knife expertly, but Zoë placed a calming hand on her friend's shoulder. In front of them, the Amazons gripped their spears tightly, but Hippolyta raised a hand, preventing them from lounging into attack.

Hippolyta and Zoë looked at each other serenely, the tension seemingly building, waiting for either of them to snap. At last, Zoë straightened and replied to the queen's attack, her voice as polite as before. "You say that, yet you have summoned us into forming an allyship. Tell me, are you so independent that you would refuse to fight a male to defend the honour of Lady Artemis?"

Hippolyta smirked and stood from her chair, her eyes for the first time approving her co-leader while the allyship was active. "You're wise, Zoë Nightshade. We Amazons don't back out from a fight. Tell us of Orion's last activities."

Zoë gestured at Kamilla and Phoebe to intervene and, as the discussions began and progress was made, she smiled secretively. It felt good to have impressed the legendary Queen of the Amazons.

* * *

"I understand you have concerns, Phoebe, and I appreciate them, you know I do," Zoë began when they were finally out of earshot from the other hunters and the Amazons as they exited the Council Room. "But with this tender issues you need to be careful, okay? It won't do our hunters any good to see us bickering like children."

The ginger hunter sighed in response, fiddling with her braid as she replied, "I won't stay silent if I don't agree with you, Zoë, it isn't what I signed up for when I joined the Hunters."

Zoë shook her head adamantly at that and placed a reassuring hand on her friend's shoulder. "Of course you shouldn't, but our hunters are scared. This is the battle we have been preparing for so long. We have lost sisters over this, we have put all of our time on this, and we have cast aside our duty to protect the world's maidens. We need to be careful when we speak of this matter before them."

"I keep telling you, Zoë, we are ready for this. You have trained us well and we're ready to follow you anywhere," Phoebe replied, her tone softened in response to her friend's reassurance. Phoebe then suddenly stopped climbing down the hill towards their camp and frowned at her friend. "You do know you're a good leader, right?"

Zoë's voice was small, "Do you think I am?"

She wanted to ask whether she would be enough to have the hunters stay in their group after this quest was over. There was so much they could, their immortality allowing them to be a force that stayed alive throughout the centuries, but she needed the hunters to do so, just like they needed her to lead them.

She knew she couldn't ask, though. As a leader, some fears were supposed to stay hidden, never shared with anybody else.

"I know I am right, and I know our sisters share my way of thinking," Phoebe insisted, her voice passionate as she assured the lieutenant. She rested her hands on the darker' girl's shoulders and forced her to look at her.

After a few silent moments in which Zoë gathered herself together, the hunter smiled at her friend and rested her hands on hers.

"I hope you're right, my friend, for if I have anything to do with it, our adventures in this world have just began," Zoë replied, her voice growing stronger as hope blossomed within her when she thought of her heart's desire. "Now go, get the hunters to the training grounds. I want them to be as prepared as possible before we move out tomorrow at sunrise."

Phoebe frowned as she studied her friend. "Of course but are you sure you're alright?"

Zoë smiled thinly. "Of course I am. Now, go."

The hunter watched her friend go with a small smile but, when Phoebe could only be recognized by the distant glimpse of red, fiery hair, Zoë stiffened and spoke again, her hardened eyes still on her friend. "You can come out, Your Majesty. I know you heard us."

The woman in question chuckled in reply. "You're good, hunter. I will admit that."

Zoë turned, her expression completely grave and studied the Amazonian in silence. Hippolyta returned her stare with a small, triumphant smirk, as if having discovered something that benefitted her.

Zoë supposed she had, in a way. After all, hadn't Amazons and Hunters been eternal rivals because of their so different lifestyles? Why wouldn't that queen be smug about finding something out about her rival?

"What is the plan, then?" Zoë finally asked bluntly, her courage finding strength in the new threat facing her. She looked on as Hippolyta climbed off the tree she had hid herself in and walked calmly towards the hunter. "Are you planning on using my fear to undermine me? What are you planning to do once peace reigns again?"

Hippolyta cocked her head as she stood before Zoë, and regarded her silently. In a way, the two were almost poetically opposites, gold and silver, light and dark; yet the same as well, both of them leaders, both of them warriors. Zoë could see that clearly and, surprisingly, it saddened her that she couldn't trust a powerful woman such as Hippolyta.

"I find you rather fascinating, lieutenant," Hippolyta suddenly admitted, her eyes brightening with amusement when Zoë scowled.

"I don't particularly care, Your Majesty," Zoë retorted, tired of mind games, "What I want to know is whether you're planning to hurt my sisters."

"Did you know we share a mutual friend?" Hippolyta asked instead as she continued climbing down the hill. She then shot a glance at her confused companion. "The tasks appointed to Hercules and the travels he has been subject to as a consequence have made him cross paths with both of us, apparently."

"I do pray that Hercules pays for everything he has done but I'm not at all interested in discussing any matter related to such a foul man." Zoë declared, her tone ending the conversation. She then bowed her head slightly to the Amazonian Queen. "Now, if you excuse me, I have hunters to train."

"We're going in the same direction, lieutenant," Hippolyta quipped as she sneaked an arm around Zoë's and led her down the hill, "Walk with me, please. There is much to be discussed."

Albeit reluctantly, Zoë complied, and the two leaders fell into a relatively comfortable silence. However, Zoë's curiosity on the Amazon and on her story seemed to grow exponentially with every second that passed. Finally, she blurted out, "What did Hercules have to steal from you?"

"My belt." Hippolyta replied, her gaze darkened with fury for the first time since they had began talking, though her smile was undeterred. "Eventually, he managed to obtain it but not without earning himself a nice, long scar."

As Hippolyta grazed the side of her own neck in a vertical manner, indicating the wound she had caused in the demigod, Zoë couldn't help to smirk. "I am glad to hear that, though I can't help but be sad that he has managed to accomplish yet another task. I was a fool to trust Hercules, but he still managed to ruin everything I have. I won't ever forget that."

"Oh, I know of your history of him, which is one of the reasons I find you so interesting," Hippolyta confided and patted the darker girl's hand. "I have studied you ever since my girls and I got here and I find that you have managed to exceed all expectations I had of you. It appears as if every time a man has harmed you and your sisters, you have managed to bounce back even stronger."

Zoë grew thoughtful as every time her life had been altered by males seemed to flash before her eyes. Hercules. Zeus. Apollo. Orion. Hippolyta was right, she had managed to withstand the pain, she had managed to survive but it hadn't been because of some heroic super strength of hers. She was still there because she was needed, because she needed to be alive if she wanted to change the world and make it safer for women in a way it hadn't been made for her or for her sisters.

At last, Zoë's reply was rather short, her eyes clouded as they fixed itself on the silver tents set up by her sisters a few feet before them. "I appreciate your words, Your Majesty, but I still wish for the day when I'm able to pay my debt to Hercules. I owe him a knife to his back for the pain he put me through in the past."

"I'm sure you will get the chance, lieutenant," Hippolyta agreed rather cheerfully as they passed the hunters' camp and made their ways to the training grounds beside it. The Amazons' camp had been set up on the other side of the training grounds. "I must admit I'm beginning to understand you better, lieutenant, even if I'll never be able to understand how you and your sisters can willingly choose to live as eternal maidens."

Zoë raised her eyebrows at that, and gazed at the distant figures of the Amazons as they trained. Both groups, even though united by their knack for war, were different in their ideologies, their priorities and their lifestyles and it was due to those things that they had never managed to work together. In a way, Zoë and Hippolyta were making history with their allyship.

"It appears you and I will have to agree that each other's lifestyles is beyond our comprehension, Your Majesty," Zoë replied with a slight smirk as the pair stood between both groups, hunters to their left and amazons to their right. "The fact that you and your women do not deem it necessary to renounce men and love truthfully baffles me. I can't see how is that any better from the life my hunters and myself lead."

"Well, we tend to face our problems straight on, instead of hiding behind a vow of maidenhood to avoid facing the men who've wronged us," Hippolyta retorted distractedly, her gaze on the hunters.

Zoë gazed again at the Amazons and studied their techniques, noticing that they were much more aggressive than her hunters. Hunters were graceful warriors, trained to use their opponents' disadvantages against them. They cherished precision, cunningness and quick movements, and their bows were the embodiment of those factors, which is why it was also their preferred weapon.

From what she could gather from the Amazons, their fighting style was based more in brute force than in gracefulness. Facing an opponent wasn't about being smart but about being decisive. Their technique was about overpowering the enemy, about facing them straight on and finding the way to win the fight. They were much better in close combat and to them, strength was the key, which is why their spears were their preferred weapons.

Yes, they were completely different but, as Zoë was beginning to realize, there was one major thing they had in common. They were both warriors and, at the end of the day, it didn't matter how you tackled an enemy or a problem, the thing was to actually solve it. Amazons and Hunters, they were both sisterhoods, both prepared for war but mostly, prepared for defending each other against those foolish enough to go against them.

That, Zoë could understand and suddenly, the Amazons weren't so different to them and they no longer seemed that impossible to work with.

It was then that Zoë knew what she had to do.

She turned towards the Amazonian Queen, her head held up proudly. "I don't think that's weakness, Your Majesty. It takes strength to admit when we need help or time and mostly, it takes courage, especially when used to fighting on our own. You criticizing the way we deal with our past, that speaks negatively of you, not of us."

Hippolyta cocked her head, her voice mocking as she asked, "What would you say it's the best way to act then, lieutenant?"

Zoe straightened, smirking as the question was the one she expected. "Isn't it obvious, Your Majesty? We do not fight each other. We stand together in arms."

And with that, she turned and screamed, "Hunters! Gather around!"

Behind her, Hippolyta raised her eyebrows in interest but nevertheless turned towards her troops. "Amazons! Join us!"

Once Hunters and Amazons stood before the two leaders looking at each other warily, Hippolyta gestured at Zoë to speak. The lieutenant smirked and faced the women calmly.

"Does anybody know how to play Capture The Flag?"

* * *

The plan was simple.

The city had been abandoned by common citizens, so there was no risk of innocent lives caught in the battle. According to the latest report, Orion had holed up himself deep in a group of abandoned buildings near the Library of Celsus. The Hunters would climb down the Artemision straight towards their objective, while the Amazons would circle the territory around and reach Orion from the other side. They knew Orion was a formidable enemy and that they needed a deity to fight with them in order to kill the giant but still, they figured that strategy would give them the better odds.

The day had dawned dry and hot, just like Zoë had hoped. Even during the early morning, the sun beat on them mercilessly, making all of the women grateful that their armours, while thick and heavy, were also little, giving their legs room to breathe.

Zoë tightened her vambraces as she walked towards her black stallion. Her braid was tighter than ever, her hair entirely pulled back from her face. Her leather boots hit against the grass rhythmically, her helmet silver like the rest of her outfit.

The camp had been dismantled. Her generals were already on their horses, waiting for their leader to take them to battle. Behind them, the hunters were formed neatly, their gazes firm ahead of them, their weapons ready, their armours identifying them as maidens of Artemis, a silver force of justice and revenge against those who would dare to defy the goddess of hunting.

By the other side of the grounds just besides the Artemision, the Amazons were already lined up as well, their armours made of leather and golden chain mail. As Zoë reached her stallion and hoisted herself up onto it, Hippolyta rode towards her, two other Amazons following her.

"Good luck to you and your own, lieutenant," the Amazonian Queen called as she reached Zoë. "May today be the day we finally end the threat against Lady Artemis."

"I wish you good fortune as well, Your Majesty. May we meet again once the battle is over," Zoë replied and bowed her head respectfully towards the Queen before turning to her own army while Hippolyta and her own retreated.

"Hunters, this is the day we have been preparing for," Zoë declared. Her sisters looked at her attentively, soldiers listening to their warrior queen with respect and awe. "We have fought, we have trained, we have lost and we have won. Today, may the fates grant us the opportunity to end this struggle once and for all. In the name of our lady but most importantly, in the name of the sisters we have lost because of Orion, may this be our last battle against him. Today, we may live or we may die, but we will do so together! Do you stand with me?"

As a reply, the hunters screamed their agreement, all of them raising their weapons in honour of Zoë Nightshade, their leader, their lieutenant, their sister.

Zoë smiled slightly and nodded at her sisters with respect before turning her horse and riding down the hill, her hunters charging behind her.

It was time to kill a giant.

* * *

There are some slaughters too horrible to even speak of them.

There are some horrors too great for even the most seasoned warrior to describe.

For Zoë, watching her sisters die made that day one of the worst of her life. At the end, all it prevented her from surrendering, from letting Orion kill her and be done with it was the knowledge that the end was finally there. Right there, she had the chance to end this war once and for all, she had the chance to allow herself and her sisters to move forward with their lives and her purpose in that world.

The plan had gone well enough but Orion, as expected, had been an enemy too great to kill so relatively easily. Orion had found himself surrounded, the Amazons to his south, the hunters to his north and still, he had managed to kill his way out of that ambush, slashing left and right at Hunters and Amazons both.

Of course, they had managed to do great damage. By the time Orion escaped the warriors and was making his way towards the Library of Celsus, one of his mechanical eyes was malfunctioning, his tan torso and arms covered in slashes and deep cuts, his black hair disheveled and covered with mud, dust and blood.

Zoë had no idea of how many hours had passed when both Hunters and Amazons had managed to surround the city, and therefore Orion had no choice but to face the women and meet his fate.

She walked rapidly through the abandoned, slightly destroyed street. Her steps echoed as they hit the stone pavement with strength and authority. Her long braid was coated with dust, almost making her look blonde rather than brunette. Her quiver was almost empty, and her bow had been broken. Her leg limped slightly, a deep cut extended along her thigh, blood flowing slowly from it.

Zoë stalled as a fellow hunter handed her a cloth. She hastily wrapped it around her thigh above the injury in order to stop the blood flow and was about to order her sisters to regroup when two figures appeared at the distance, both holding each other up, and Zoë forgot everything but the girl before her.

Phoebe had been injured.

Zoë ran as fast as she could, ignoring her throbbing leg altogether. She ignored her tired limbs, the state of her army and her lack of weapons. Her best friend had been hurt and that was all it mattered. She had already lost Kallisto, and she wouldn't lose Phoebe as well.

"Phoebe, how bad is it?" Zoë asked frantically as she reached the ginger hunter, who had her hands pressed to her stomach. Queen Hippolyta, of all people, carried her as best as she could, her own leg limping slightly behind her.

"Your sister aided a group of my own Amazons, risking her own life to save them from Orion," Hippolyta explained, her regal voice slightly breathless as she winced when Phoebe leaned slightly more on her, "your sister is a hero."

Phoebe ignored the Amazonian queen and looked up at her leader with regret and guilt. "I will be fine, Zoë. The cut isn't too deep but I don't think I can continue. I'm so sorry."

Zoë nodded, her heart heavy with grief and concern before looking at Hippolyta. "Do you think you can take her to safety, Your Majesty?"

Hippolyta hesitated before nodding. "Take charge of my amazons while I'm gone. You'll need them."

Phoebe tried to free herself from the queen's strong grip uselessly. She looked at Zoë with frantic desperation, her voice exalted as she realized what Zoë was about to do. "No, you can't go! He is after you, Zoe, he told me so! He will kill you!"

Zoë smiled sadly at her friend, watching as Phoebe's expression was overtaken by horror by the sudden realization.

Zoë already knew that.

Apollo had been the one to execute the motion that maddened Orion but, still, she was there, and she wasn't a goddess; therefore, she was to blame. Zoë was Artemis's lieutenant, the hunter leader with the most longevity and the one who held Artemis's trust. She was the perfect target if Orion was to insult the maiden goddess.

It all came down to a one-to-one battle. Zoë against Orion. Orion knew that and so did she.

By hurting Phoebe, Orion had erupted enough rage within Zoë for her to find him and engage into battle.

After all, it hadn't been their battle plan the Hunters and Amazons had been executing. It had been his.

"Thank you, Your Majesty," Zoë nodded at Hippolyta before resting her forehead against Phoebe's filthy one with a sigh. "I will be fine, sister. Go and heal yourself."

"Zoë, no! Zoë!"

Zoë wasn't paying attention to her anymore, though. Her time to say goodbye was up and now, if she wanted to have the most chance of survival possible, it was time to face her enemy, so she continued down the road, turning towards the one Phoebe and Hippolyta had come from, and elbowing her way through Hunters and Amazons to study the destruction before her.

If the city already seemed abandoned, it reminisced that state even more now, with signs of destruction and new ruins where whole buildings had stood wherever Zoë looked. Dust was the definite king, coating every layer of fallen bricks, the pavement on the street and even the blood hunters and Amazons had spilled. The buildings had been of a sandy colour, its architecture the typical of a Greek city, yet they were now tainted with mud, dirt and even blood. The street before her was devoid of any trees, factor that made the scene look even more destructed, as there was not a sign of life apart from the warriors themselves to compensate for all the death laying before their eyes.

Hunters and Amazons looked at Zoë as she stood by the front line, studying her reaction, trying to decipher how the lieutenant felt, in order for them to know if it was time to panic yet. They gazed at their leader, for the first time Hunters and Amazons fighting under the same commander, and waited for her orders.

Zoë looked at the sea of lifeless bodies laying before her very eyes, Amazons and Hunters from all races, backgrounds and complexions dead because of the same threat, because of the same giant the gods hadn't dared to kill when they had the chance. She looked at her fallen sisters, as she now recognized the Amazons as her sisters too. After all, they had always been sisters in arms, both groups, Hunters and Amazons, united by their passion, their resilience, and their calling.

War.

At last, the lieutenant gazed into the distance, her eyes fixing on the tall man standing a few blocks away, the sunlight reflecting on her eyes impeding her from seeing nothing by the mere contour of a man.

She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, relishing in the rage that blossomed within her like wildfire, nurturing her every vein and cell, filling with more strength than she had ever even dreamed of knowing.

And when she ordered, her authoritative voice echoed through the entire city of Ephesus, its strength reassuring even the most scared of her warriors.

"Archers, ready your bows!" Zoë screamed as Orion began slowly moving towards the group of female warriors. At once, the hunters and Amazons behind her, lined up to either side of the street and even on the roofs of the buildings towering over the girls readied their bows, their arrows aimed at the approaching giant. "Aim!"

Zoë lifted a hand, gesturing the archers to hold. She wanted to wait until the moment was right.

Orion then began to pick up his speed, soon enough too fast for him to turn around.

The time had come.

"Shoot!" Zoë screamed, lowering her hand.

At once, hundred of arrows flew towards the giant, creating a wall of smoke and dust as Orion fell with a thud, grunting by the cutting tips of the weapons imbedding themselves into his skin.

Zoë took a silent step forward, her hand held up again, making the archers refrain from shooting again. She narrowed her eyes and stared into the sandy cloud before her, trying to recognize any moving form.

Just as she began to hope that would have been enough, Orion stood up again slowly, hissing as he raised himself up, his every limb bleeding from countless cuts and wounds. Still, he stood, and he began running towards the hunters.

Zoë screamed wordlessly in frustration and, refusing to have another of her sisters dying in this battle, ran forward herself, picking up a laying sword just before Orion and her reached each other, and clashed it against Orion's black bow as he tried to hit her with it.

For a moment, complete silence reigned over the battlefield as giant and hunter stared at each other, their weapons drawn before them, pressured against each other as they tried to destabilize the other. Bronze eyes met black, both glaring at each other, both knowing that was the day their conflict finally ended.

"I am a giant, haven't you heard you foolish girl?" Orion snarled, his voice sickeningly sweet, "You cannot kill me."

Zoë grunted, taking in the fact that the giant towered over him, his strength much greater than hers, regardless that she too was immortal. Her feet slowly began to slide away and she gritted her teeth, praying to Artemis that she would come to her aid.

"Don't you know who am I you foolish giant?" The hunter replied tauntingly to distract her enemy from her weakened state. Her voice was twisted with hot, fiery rage. "I am Zoë Nightshade, and I can do anything I want."

Orion pushed her away roughly then, instantly aiming her bow to her head, intending to knock her out. Zoë pushed the bow away with her sword and quickly knelt down, slashing the giant's legs deeply before rolling away, falling into a defensive position crouched on the ground a few feet from the giant.

Hunters and Amazons cheered as Orion began to bleed from his new injuries but Zoë ignored them. She stood up as Orion stood too, and the two circled each other like predators, studying each other, trying to figure out their next move. Zoë ignored her exhausted limbs, the threat of her body collapsing increasing the longer she fought.

Her body did not matter, nor did her health or her exhausted mind. All that mattered was winning, for herself and for her own, so she commanded her mind to stay sharp and her limbs to stay agile. At last, she straightened and growled at the giant, ready to resume the fight whenever he was.

Orion's eyes darkened with fury as he circled the hunter. His silver armour was coated with blood, even torn apart at some places. His tanned skin had acquired an ashen tone, whether it was from the dust or from the blood loss, that Zoë did not know."I know it was you and Apollo the ones who did this to me and I will do justice for myself. I have already injured your best friend and once I kill you, I will kill your lady. There's no one able to stop me."

Zoe turned her head to spit blood at the floor and laughed amusedly as she twirled the sword, expertly finding its balance. "An army of women has risen against you, Orion. You are on your own. The gods themselves do not hold you in their favour anymore. Only one of us will leave this fight with their life still with them, and it isn't going to be you."

Orion's smirk melted off as the hunter spoke so dauntlessly. He then roared and ran towards Zoë but she was prepared. She slid through the giant's feet, sinking her blade into the skin of his shin as she slid between his legs. Orion roared and lounged his bow around, almost hitting Zoë as she was standing up but she managed to lay down on the ground again. Then, the two engaged into a ferocious fight, slashes and blows coming from each of them, both of them ignoring their pain as the only thing they wanted was the other to die.

From the sidelines, all the female warriors could see were flashes of silver whenever Zoë attacked with her blade or twirled to escape Orion's bow and flashes of black from the bow the giant kept twirling around.

After what seemed like a tense eternity in which all they could hear were breathless, agitated panting and weapons clashing together, Zoë kicked the back of Orion's weakened leg and, as he fell, she tried to climb on top of his back to slit his throat but Orion grabbed her legs and threw her into a building, the force with which he threw her causing Zoë to be buried amongst the fallen debris, instantly covered in dust.

Zoë coughed roughly as she tried to pull herself up, her entire body throbbing from the pain. Her vision blurred as she sat up only to fall back again, the screams of her sisters a distant chorus that she couldn't focus on. Her lungs were wheezing as she tried to breathe deeply, her throat seemingly constricted, hopefully only by the collision.

Slowly, she raised her arm and took in the bruises beginning to show through its entire length. With a sigh, she let her arm fall back into the ground and she looked up directly into the sun with a sigh.

If the Fates commanded so, it was a good day to die.

She looked away from the sun when she heard heavy steps approaching her lying form, and turned just in time to see the smug face of an injured Orion as he stood just before her, his form casting shadows over her and taking away the light she so cherished.

"Were your words worth it, lieutenant? Does your death feel worth it?" Orion asked with a whisper, his frame resting on his bow, which he was using as a cane.

Zoë smiled. She could feel her.

It so appeared that the Fates weren't commanding her death just yet.

"I was the distraction, Giant," the huntress replied weakly, her smirk barely there as her strength evaporated away. "Now, you will die by a girl's hand."

Before Orion could grasp the meaning of her words, two hands appeared on either side of his neck and snapped it broken.

The Giant fell with a thud before her, in his place standing the goddess she had prayed for, Lady Artemis herself.

"That's my lieutenant, you peasant," Artemis spat with heavy hatred.

Zoë smiled a bloodied grin as the last of her strength left her.

Then her surroundings seemed to fade away, herself being enveloped into a restful sleep.

And everything went black.

* * *

Night had already settled by the time Zoë had the chance to speak to Artemis.

Her injuries had been major, yet nothing that couldn't be saved by the blessing of the maiden goddess and their stash of nectar and ambrosia.

Once the bodies had all been gathered and cleaned, the funeral was held, as the Hunters' tradition established. After that, they held a feast in honour of the fallen, as it was the Amazons' tradition.

Dozens of hunters had died during the fight against Orion. Phoebe had been spared, fortunately, but Maya and Sophia had both been killed. Twice their numbers were injured and it would be a while before they were all in top shape and ready to get back into the fight.

Zoë was okay with that, though. After a century and a half in which they did nothing but chase a giant around the world, they deserved their break.

As she supposed, she found Artemis slightly apart from the feast, looking up at the stars thoughtfully. Her silver armour was perfect, especially in contrast to Zoë's ruined one, but the goddess's eyes were still slightly broken as they fixed themselves on Kallisto's constellation.

"I know you have thought of me as heartless ever since Kallisto," Artemis spoke softly as Zoë limped her way to her. "But I have never forgotten about her. Every night, as I oversee the world from my chariot, my thoughts are with her. I have always loved her and that love never stopped when we lost her."

"I appreciate your words, my lady," Zoë replied, bowing her head in appreciation. She too looked up at the stars. "I don't hold her death against you, though. I want to honour the reason she died by making sure it never happens again. I want to protect the threatened woman against the cruel, hard society that only values men. I think that you could be a vital part of that, my lady, if you would allow me to continue with my plan."

Artemis looked down and regarded Zoë silently, as if seeing her for the first time. "Queen Hippolyta seems to have a high opinion of you. She says that while you stay in charge of my Hunters, the Amazons could find a way to work with us."

Zoë hung her head in gratitude. "Queen Hippolyta is an excellent leader, my lady, and while the Amazons are much different than us, they are warriors just like we are. Together, I really do believe that we can be a great force of change, protecting those in need."

"I should have listened to you, lieutenant. I should have never allowed Orion into our hunt and I should have never disregarded my hunters' interests. You are a wise leader, Zoë Nightshade, and I'm honoured that you command my women," Artemis replied softly, her voice proud as she squeezed the shocked hunter's shoulder. "You have my blessing to carry on with your plan, Zoë. Ally yourself with the Amazons, make your plans, and I will stand by you in order to make the change necessary in this world."

Zoë was too moved to speak so she could only manage to bow respectfully at her lady as grateful tears rolled down her eyes before leaving the thoughtful goddess to go back to the feast.

There was much to be done.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I have been researching quite a lot for the fic and for this chapter in specific in order to set it accordingly within the Ancient Greece' era. Now, the myth of Hippolyta, as you know, is that Hercules has to steal her belt to complete one of the many tasks declared by Hera (yeah, that guy again). When Hippolyta gives up her belt willingly, Hera is enraged that Hercules managed to complete another task so easily so she masks herself as an Amazon to trick the others into thinking their Queen's been kidnapped by Hercules.
> 
> To tell the short version, Hippolyta ends up being killed by Hercules and therefore, the timelines don't really line up for her and Zoe to be able to meet. However, I thought it would interesting to have two characters whose fate was shifted greatly by Hercules interact and become allies so in my fic, Hippolyta survived Hercules.
> 
> I really advise you guys to do some research on the Temple of Artemis and the Amazons because it is sooo interesting.
> 
> Hope you guys liked it and stay tuned!


	5. There're Gods And There's The Hunt

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys!
> 
> Chapter 5 is now up! Now, this is set in 1920's England so I'm still working on the dialogue to make it perfectly British. If there's any word or slang I've misused or that I forgot, please let me know!
> 
> Disclaimer: The title is inspired by one of BBC's Peaky Blinders' iconic lines. Also, I was slightly inspired by the tv series to come up with this plot so there's that too. Also, some of the characters here are of my own invention but the ones you guys already know belong to Rick Riordan.
> 
> Warning: There's some cursing here so reader's discretion is advised.

**October, 20th, 1920.**

The Hunting Trap Pub was jam-packed, its clients mostly consistent of middle class' men who wanted to enjoy a few pints after a hard day of work before heading home to their wives and children.

That pub, even though it was one of the most recently built in Brighton - actually one of the few pubs built during the Great War - it was also one of the most famous, as its crew consisted entirely of women, women who took no crap from anyone.

Because of that, while for the most part, its clientele was made of harmless men who wanted nothing but to chill, that establishment had eventually become quite famous and, before too long, men from higher status began showing their faces in that dodgy part of Brighton with the objective to see for themselves what all the fuss was about.

That day, two fine gentlemen stood out from the other customers cradling their pints as they chatted animatedly or played cards. Thomas and Harry Winkleman were two members of East Sussex's elite society. Being heirs to one of the most important' financial enterprises in Britain, the two brothers had been raised under the idea that, as they were privileged, there was nothing nor anyone that could refuse them. Hence, they'd grown to have no respect for anyone or anything who they deemed inferior to their status.

Behind the counter, Margaret Gray eyed the two strangers suspiciously. She'd been hired by the pub' owners, known as the Huntresses, when she was thirteen and had nowhere to go as her mother had passed away recently and her father had abandoned them long ago. After a few years helping with little, harmless tasks away from the clientele, she began to help behind the counter and, at the moment, at 20 years old she ran the place when the owners weren't there.

"Margaret?" a voice asked quietly, and Margaret turned towards Harriet, one of their most recent hirings. The girl had tied her ginger, long hair into a messy ponytail, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment as she subconsciously wiped her hands on her apron, which was already dirty from the day's work.

"Is everything alright?" Margaret asked, her nature making her quite protective of all her employees.

"I'm really sorry but did you notice the two wealthy blokes by the other side of the room? They're making me too uncomfortable," Harriet replied, her cheeks almost as red as her hair. "Could you take that table?"

"It's alright, Harriet. I'd love to take the table from you," Margaret replied with a smirk, already savouring the delight of kicking those two heathens out of her pub. She wiped her hands on her own apron before placing her hands on Harriet's shoulders in a reassuring manner as she walked past her and around the counter. "You're in charge of the register while I'm gone."

The crowd grew silent as the petite, blonde bartender walked between the different tables on her way to the two newcomers. It was sort of funny, really, seeing that group of men, all of different sizes and postures making way for a woman half their height but Margaret Gray had formed herself a deserved reputation of a force to be reckoned with. If they wanted to have their pints in peace, then they would give that bartender the respect and obedience she'd earned.

"All right, boys? What is this I'm hearing about the two of you bothering one of my girls?" Margaret smiled charmingly once she stood before the two men. She took in their expensive, spotless dark blue suits. Their jackets, shoes and hats matched the colour perfectly, while their hairs were perfectly styled, cut short as it was the fashion.

Margaret refrained from smirking openly. They were the embodiment of the arrogant, obnoxious high society she had come to hate, which gave her the absolute honour of informing them they had no business being in her pub.

"My brother Harry and I were looking to have some fun. Nothing you should concern yourself with, love," one of the men replied. He reached into one of his pockets and came up with a bunch of neatly folded quids, offering them to Margaret with a sickly smirk. "So why don't you fetch the other waitress for us and let us have our fun?"

"This sort of behaviour is not acceptable here, gents," Margaret replied. She eyed the money as if looking at something dirty before looking straight into the men's eyes. "This pub is protected and owned by The Huntresses. Here, women are left in peace. Abide by those rules, or I'll be forced to show you the exit."

"You don't know who we are, sweetheart?" the other man, Harry presumably, drawled as he stood from his seat. His brother followed his cue, and the two of them towered over Margaret with a smug smirk. "We are Thomas and Harry Winkleman, girl. You cannot tell us what to do."

"No, but I am Margaret Gray, boy," the bartender replied, undeterred by the threat before her. She straightened, her eyes harshening with deep hatred as the two men took a threatening step in her direction. "This is my pub and it is our rules our clients are expected to obey. Now, belt up, or I'll throw your arses out of that door before you're able to say another word."

"Look, you filthy bit-," Harry growled, already reaching forward to grab Margaret harshly by the collar of her shirt. The men around them stood in a hurry to aid their beloved bartender, while Harriet hurried over from behind the counter to aid her employer.

However, before any of them could put an end to the fight, the front doors opened with a bang, and a curtain of sunset light poured into the room, blinding them all momentarily.

Once Margaret was able to distinguish any forms amongst the sunlight exterior, she noticed that two women had entered the pub and held both doors open, as if serving as passage for those about to enter.

When they did, they entered in a group, all of them wearing white shirts, a black jackets, black, knee-length skirts, and silver ties. Their hairs were styled short, most of them sporting bobs, though some of them had chosen to pull up their hairs into a fashionable bun.

The group of women stood by the doors for a moment, eyeing the scene before them, before suddenly stepping aside to make way for a tall, dark-skinned woman who sported the same attire as her companions, while a silver circle rested on her head. She studied the scene before her for a second, her eyes eventually falling on the men threatening Margaret, and glares at them wordlessly until they stepped away. Then, she addressed the crowd. "All drinks are on the house. Leave. Now."

Margaret used the clamour around her to study the leader of the Huntresses. She had seen Zoë Nightshade a few times over the course of her years in The Huntress Trap, as she tended to leave the surveillance of the business to her other companions. Still, Margaret couldn't help but be gobsmacked by what she was seeing.

Seven years had passed since she saw her for the first time, yet Zoë didn't seem to have aged at all.

"Now," Zoë called once they were on their own. She left her purse on the wooden bar before turning to the two men and gesturing for Margaret and Harriet to step away from them. Zoë's companions entered the pub as well, standing by the walls until, at last, the two men and Zoë had been utterly surrounded. "It seems a chat is due between us. Who taught you to be so moronic?"

Harry gazed around him before glaring at Zoë, outraged at having been insulted so bluntly. "Who do you think you are to talk to me, you whore? Don't you know who I am?"

"I know exactly who you are," Zoë replied softly. She slowly walked around the two men, her voice dropping menacingly. The only sound besides her voice was the rhythmic thud of her heels as they resonated against the wooden floor. "You are all my sisters and I fight against. Obnoxious, privileged, chauvinist excuses of men. As Margaret told you, this sort of behaviour is not accepted here. I made that rule when we opened this bar and I haven't accepted any exceptions, regardless of the money offered. Please do not imagine for a second that you this case will be the exception."

"So, this is what you're going to do?" Thomas retaliated, smirking when Zoë finally stood before him. He took a step forward and pointed directly at Zoë. "Scold us? Call our mommies?"

"No," Zoë replied softly before pointing in Margaret's and Harriet's direction. "I'll have you apologize to my employees. Now, please."

"Do not mistake me for a man who listens to worthless women," Thomas whispered, his hands clenched into fists as he advanced towards Zoë. He stood a few centimeters before her, his obsidian eyes burning into hers. "I will destroy everything you own, I promise you. You do not go against a Winkleman without facing the consequences."

"I am Zoë Nightshade, you fool," Zoë mused in return. She met his stare head-on and cocked her head with arrogance. "You have no idea of how untouchable I am."

"Is that so?" Thomas replied before swinging his fist towards Zoë's face. It seemed as if Zoë had no chance of avoiding the punch but, still, in what seemed like the split of a second, Zoë had moved aside, grabbing Thomas's arm as he leaned forward, and twisted it into his back to restrain him. She then looked in her employee's direction with calmness. "Margaret, Harriet. Go to the back room. Now."

"What, too coward to let your girls see you for the violent whore you are?" Thomas laughed humorlessly as the two bartenders ran into hiding, accompanied by two of the women who had come in with Zoë. He put all of his effort into masking the pain the young woman was inflicting on him, his twisted arm throbbing more intensely with every passing moment. "Harm me or my brother, and you'll have our entire family hunting you down until they get their revenge."

"Do not speak to me of hunting, boy," Zoë replied, her voice strangelly laced with amusement. She forced Thomas onto the floor and, after making sure her sisters had the other man restrained, she looked at her second-in-command. "Tell me sister, for you manage to remain calm when I snap. Should we give this wonderful men a ride to the nearest police station? Or should we just send them off with nothing but a warning? Maybe a show of mercy will teach this family to raise their boys with some respect."

"Respect for what? You?" Thomas intervened. He spit into the ground before sneering, "Do not make me laugh, love. You're undeserving of my respect."

"In that we can agree, Mr Winkleman. I am too superior to be worthy of the respect of a rat like you," Zoë snapped in return. She pushed Thomas's face harshly against the wooden boards. "And usually, I would not be disturbed by your kind. However you are everything I fight against, and I cannot let such insulting, disturbing behaviour pass without punishment."

"I think this two are beyond saving, sister. Their manners prove that," Phoebe mused thoughtfully as she knelt before Thomas. Then, she looked up into her sister's eyes and smirked. "What are your orders?"

Zoë leaned down to whisper next to Thomas ear. "I know better than to think having the two of you nicked will teach you some respect but, like you, I have formed myself a reputation that discourages those willing to defy me. I will make sure this scandal is known throughout Brighton, and I truly hope it ruins the privileged image you've hold so far."

Then, she straightened and nodded at Phoebe. "Take them to the station for public disruption. Make sure they know it's me the one who's sending them."

Then, she stood up and headed towards the back room, ignoring the chaos behind her as her sisters grabbed the two men and dragged them towards the front doors. She opened the doors to the backroom unceremoniously and regarded the two bartenders inexpressibly.

"I apologize for the scene, Ms. Nightshade," Margaret finally spoke shakily. Her usual tan skin was pale from the adrenaline and shock. "I usually manage to contain this sort of scenes but-."

"This was not your fault, Margaret," Zoë cut her off gently. She eyed them again before sighing and gesturing for them to follow her. "Now, come. I believe there are some things I need to explain."

* * *

During the drive to who-knows-where, Zoë asked Margaret and Harriet about their families, their prospects, and their responsibilities beyond their work' life.

Just like Margaret, Harriet had no parents or siblings, her parents having died in a car accident when she was eighteen years ago. Now, at twenty years old, she had no one to support nor anyone who could support her, so she had taken a job at The Huntress Trap until she could get enough money to get proper housing and think of her future. Still, as the world had continuously been harsh towards her, with the years she'd become the shy girl Margaret had come to know.

It could be said that Harriet had steadily lost all faith in herself, as she had started to believe that she'd never be able to make her own dreams become true.

After that the drive was quiet, as Zoë had clearly found out everything of interest when it came to the girls' lives. Also, the women who hadn't left with the Winkleman brothers had been left behind to clean the mess caused by the quarrel, so Margaret and Harriet were left with no choice but to study the scenery around them.

When they began to exit Brighton, Margaret frowned with concern and glanced towards the front seat. "Ms. Nightshade, where are we going?"

"After everything, I'd say you two have earned the right to call me Zoë, Margaret," Zoë replied, heightening her voice to make herself heard over the wind roaring past their open vehicle. "We're going to our headquarters. It's time I show you who the owners of The Huntress Trap are."

Margaret and Harriet exchanged a nervous glance but refrained from commenting and, after a few minutes, they reached a seemingly abandoned warehouse near the docks. The three women climbed off the car and Margaret and Harriet looked on silently as Zoë grabbed a key from her coat's pocket and walked towards a wooden door besides a big, metal' roll door.

"Once our activities began to get recognition," Zoë explained as she twirled the key into the rusty keyhole, "we were in need to acquire a place in which we could develop them in peace, and a source of money that would allow us to continue them without restrictions. This warehouse had been abandoned for decades when we found it, and they've been our headquarters ever since. About the pub, it has been giving us the income necessary to continue with our tasks."

"What are you, some kind of gangsters?" Margaret asked hesitatingly.

The door made a creaky sound as Zoë opened it, but she ignored it as she turned to smile at the two bartenders. "No. We're the Huntress of Artemis. Follow me."

"Artemis? As in the Goddess of hunting?" Harriet asked in turn, rushing to catch up with Zoë. She shrugged when Margaret frowned at her. "What? I like greek mythology."

"Exactly her, Harriet," Zoë replied carelessly as she walked through the poorly lit corridor. She opened another door, this time a metal one, and moved to the side to allow the girls to walk past it and into an empty study. "I am Zoë Nightshade, daughter of Atlas and lieutenant of the Hunt."

Margaret's eyes widened as she remembered the strange feeling she'd been overcome with when she noticed that Zoë hadn't seemed to have aged at all. "What are you? You haven't aged at all since I first saw you seven years ago. How is that possible?"

"When a woman enters the hunt, she's also granted with immortality by Artemis herself. I was born in the ancient' world, almost two thousand years ago." Zoë replied, her voice growing more soothing as she noticed how her companions began to feel more and more alarmed. She rested her hands on either girl's shoulders and smiled calmingly. "Now, I know this is hard to believe but I ask that you let me show you what we do here before you form your opinions on it. This is our home, and it can be yours too if you guys are willing to give it a try. Will you give me the chance to explain?"

Margaret and Harriet exchanged a unnerved look before nodding slowly. As Zoë turned and opened yet another wooden door, the two girls gulped and prepared themselves for the sight behind those doors.

After a few seconds, Zoë had opened the door and they had walked through it and into what used to be a huge deposit.

What they found, it was nothing they could have been expecting.

Countless beds were lined up against either side of the long room, most of them occupied by women, some of them obviously injured and some just tired' looking. Kids ran around the place, going from the places their mothers were being tended to the playrooms strategically placed along the room. Long tables had been placed next to another door by the wall to their right, which presumably led to the kitchens. By the roll doors to their left, a metal staircase rolled in itself and into the second floor, from which they could distinguish a wooden, closed door. The room itself had been remodeled with white and silver tones, and fireplaces had been constructed strategically throughout the room, so its heat counteracted greatly against the parky air typical of Brighton.

"Ever since I became the leader of the Huntresses, my objective has been to protect the women unable to protect themselves," Zoë explained as she began to walk past the different cots and groups of people talking, laughing, or discussing something with interest. "Every member of our sisterhood has been assaulted, beaten, or sold. They have all needed to ran away from men, and the Hunt became their escaping route."

"They are all so young," Margaret breathed with awe, also noticing how everyone nodded respectfully at Zoë as the trio walked past them.

"Age is relative, Margaret," Zoë chuckled without looking at them. "but yes, we all seem quite young. As you know, the world tends to remind us of what our role as women entails quite early in our lives."

"How long have you kept this shelter?" Harriet asked in turn. She was also looking around, and had noticed that all the women tending to the those hosted by the hunters were wearing silver ties.

"The kind of aid we offer mortal women has varied as society itself has changed," Zoë replied. As they reached the front of the deposit, she directed herself towards the metallic stairs and began climbing it, the noise made resonating through the deposit. "A few decades ago, after the French Revolution, we realized not all women were interested in joining us, so we began to set up shelters across the continent. Nowadays, this is our largest one, but our operations are still functioning across the entire European continent."

"What kind of operations?" Margaret asked. By then, the two of them had come to believe Zoë. Whether it was due to her serious personality or the help she had been offering women, that they did not know, but they knew they trusted the huntress, and that was all that mattered.

Zoë reached the end of the stairs and moved aside so her two companions could step into the landing as well. "We help women going through poor economic or violent situations at home insert themselves into a healthier, improved part of society. Mostly, we manage to get them respectable jobs, we function as a free medical' center, and we offer aid to abandoned children before putting them in contact with the authorities in charge."

"So you do all of this, without any sort of retribution," Margaret retorted and shook her head in disbelief. "I find that hard to believe."

Zoë had moved to open the wooden door before them but, as she heard Margaret's words, she paused and turned towards the younger woman with an amused glint in her eyes. "I have seen the world change priorities time and time again. I have seen religions be born, and religions crumble into dust. All along, what hasn't changed is the difference of opportunities between those who have too much, and those who have too little. Doing our part against that, as little as it might be, that's all the retribution we need. Now, please, follow me."

Without waiting for an answer, Zoë opened the door, and entered the room, which turned out to be a large room clearly meant for meetings. Margaret closed the door behind them before she and Harriet eyed the hunters gathered with slight dread.

Yes, they knew this were women were good people, but they were still thoroughly intimidating. Excuse them for being unnerved.

"Girls, sit," Zoë ordered Margaret and Harriet before walking to the head of the table and looking at her sisters expectantly. "Well, sisters, what have we discovered about the two classy men who walked into our pub?"

"Thomas and Harry Winkleman did not lie, they were part of one of the most influential families in Brighton. Their father owns one of the largest financial companies in the country," Phoebe replied from Zoë's right.

Zoë faltered and turned towards her sister with dread. "What do you mean were? What happened to them?"

"After you left, the two of them took out their guns and tried to shoot," Phoebe explained. She rolled her eyes with exasperation, though her expression remained concerned as she took in the stress of her leader, who was now sitting on her chair and covering her eyes with a weary hand.

"Killed in self-defense, then. However, there were dozens of you, against two of them. How could you have failed to stop them?" Zoë demanded, her voice harsh as her eyes fell on her embarrassed sisters.

"They took their guns in the middle of the street, endangering all the innocents there," Phoebe retorted hotly, her own voice harshening by the need to defend herself. "What were we supposed to do? Let them kill innocent people?"

"No, but you should have searched for any weapons before leaving the pub! We have lived in peace with the authorities for decades, decades in which they haven't bothered us while we carried on with our activities. We work under their radar and in return, they allow us to work in peace. Now, our entire operative is endangered!" Zoë yelled. She shot an exasperated look in Phoebe's direction before turning to her left. "Kamilla, what's our best approach now?"

"The family has already been warned and, though it is known to the public that the crime was committed in self-defense, they're still out for blood," Kamilla reported immediately. "The police has also been alerted, and they're organizing a crew to hunt us down as we speak."

"They are free to try to hunt us, of course, but they will fail. All the others have," Zoë quipped before nodding at Kamilla, "Have you managed to find out anything about the new head of the Police Department? I know Chief Topher was replaced a few weeks ago after he decided to retire."

"Chief Sanders served in France during the Great War," Kamilla replied, smiling with success at having been able to help her leader. "He's now in his late fifties, and has become to have little regard for justice. He doesn't hesitate before accepting bribery from several influential families in the area, such as the Winkleman family."

Zoë nodded before gesturing towards another of the girls present, who had stayed silent so far. "Katerina, you're our fastest huntress. I need you to go to the Police Department and deliver a message to Chief Sanders. I want him to know that I'll be waiting for him at the busiest tea shop you can find in Newhaven. Tell him it's time him and I have a chat. Just the two of us. Katerina, make sure you are not seen."

"That will not work."

All the hunters turned, having forgotten they were not on their own. As she felt all eyes on them, Margaret flustered but still set her eyes on Zoë. "I know Sanders. Any ounce of mercy he might have had, he left it back at France. While you stay in hiding, you're at an advantage. Make him become aware of your power and resources in England, make him aware of the fact that you're going after the families who support his own privileged lifestyle, and you'll find yourselves with much more inconvenients that what you bargained for."

For a few, completely silent moments, Zoë regarded her with an expression devoid of any emotions before she finally shook her head. "We will carry on with the original plan. If that doesn't work, then we'll see how we can make honourable Chief Sanders understand how serious we Huntresses are."

"I don't know Zoë, perhaps this girl is right. While they don't even know who we really are, they stand at disadvantage," Phoebe intervened with doubt in her voice. She frowned at her sister before continuing. "After all, we don't really know how people think now. We aren't like them."

"We do know how they think, sister. They are after power. They've always been, since the beginning of time," Zoë argued gently, yet in a tone that left no room for argument. "If we don't admit to the crime, if I don't admit to the crime, then they will go after some unsuspecting witness."

"And if they get to you, then countless people will suffer for it," Margaret countered.

At that, Zoë smirked. "I have lived to see nations rise and fall. A mere mortal won't be able to get to me, and I won't allow them to go after those innocent. Meeting adjourned."

* * *

Joseph Sanders walked into the tea shop exactly at 10 AM in the morning.

Having served in the army during the Great War, he had become an impatient man, and one annoyingly punctual. Also, as that was the only tea shop in Newhaven, finding it on time was quite an easy task.

So, when he looked around and took in the vacant tea shop, Sanders wanted to throw something.

Slowly, Sanders approached the empty counter by the other side of the room, taking his time to study the establishment which was actually quite elegant, almost as if planned only for the entertainment of the high society. Built with mahogany and golden details across the walls, that shop was the current most trendy spot in Newhaven for non-drinkers so, it made no sense for it to be empty.

Sanders took off his hat as he finally reached the wooden counter. He held it on his hands before resting his forearms on the wood and leaning forward to try to get a peek into the door that led to the back room. All Sanders could hear was his coat brushing against the fabric of his pants whenever he moved and finally, with impatience, he reached into his vest' pocket to take a peek into his clock.

10:02.

Sanders cursed under his breath and closed his eyes.

Now that it was obvious he had been set up, he could only be grateful that he had decided against bringing a team with him. That would have been embarrassing.

"I see you found the place. Good job on that, Chief."

Sanders turned sharply at that, frowning at the young woman who seemed to have materialized by the other side of the room. Clad in the same suit the witnesses of the Winkleman brother's murder had described, the young woman appeared to be lounging on her chair carelessly, distractedly crossing her legs as she reached for her cup and sipped on her tea. Her dark coat and hat rested on the table besides her, along with a little purse.

"Zoë Nightshade," Sanders finally mused. He walked towards the table she was occupying and sat in front of her. Then, he poured himself some tea as he continued, "I thought you meant for us to be in the public for a reason."

"I did, yes," Zoë nodded, her eyes on her tea as she swirled her spoon around the cup's contents. "But then I realized that it is much easier for us to speak freely if we aren't under the scrutiny of the public. I hope you don't mind."

"Not at all, Ms. Nightshade," Sanders shook his head. He leaned back on his seat and cocked his head with interest. "Still, I cannot help but think that you could have perfectly used this change of plans to set me a trap."

In return, Zoë shook her head as she laughed quietly. "No, Chief. I am not looking for a war between your people and mine. Besides, betraying your trust would have gone against my principles as a honourable woman."

"I apologize, I was not aware murderers have honour." Sanders mused. He then glanced in the direction of the counter. "I am also disappointed that this place seems to be currently lacking staff. I was hoping to get a pastry while I was here."

Zoë regarded the man before her silently, her features schooled into polite indifference. Then, she pushed her chair back before standing up and marching towards the counter. She took one of the displays filled with pastries of all kinds and took it with her. Finally, Zoë walked towards Sanders and presented him with the display. "Take your pick."

Sanders looked up at Zoë with surprise before shaking his head and chuckling lowly as he grabbed the first one he could get his hands on. "It seems there's more I need to learn about you, Ms. Nightshade. The other gangsters I've dealt with weren't as...cold as you are."

"That's where you're mistaken, sir. I am not a gangster. I am merely a woman with influence," Zoë replied easily as she took her seat. She then nodded at the policeman. "Just like the families who have bought you into submission."

Sanders sobered up at that, his voice dropping threateningly. "As influential as you might be, I will not accept such outrageous claims from a woman. I know it was your group, this Hunters I hear so much about, the ones responsible for the murder of the Winkleman brothers. Surrender those responsible of it, and you won't have any more problems from me or my people."

"You speak of justice, of having my sisters pay for their crimes. Tell me, does the innocent people endangered by this men you seek to defend mean nothing to you?" Zoë retorted, pursuing her lips in anger as the man before her did not flinch at her accusations. "Are you only interested in defending those who can pay you? Tell me, am I supposed to surrender my sisters to the justice of a corrupt man?"

"Enlighten me, then. Why have you asked to talk to me?" Sanders questioned. He raised his eyebrows in an inquiring manner as he gestured with his hand for Zoë to explain herself. "What are the terms you seek to set in order to reach peace?"

Zoë didn't hesitate. "I want my sisters to be pardoned. Their crime was nothing but an act of self-defense. It was the men who made that scandal in my pub the ones who tried to kill innocent people. Also, I want your promise that, while you stand as Chief of Police in Brighton, the women charged receive fair trial. This is not the first time I've heard of questionable behaviour against my sex from your Department, Mr. Sanders. It's time you change that."

Sanders eyed the young girl sitting before her with disbelief. Despite her obvious experience as leader and her smooth way of talking, it was clear the girl couldn't be more than twenty years old. Seeing a girl so young being so blunt and courageous when speaking to a man, left Sanders in total shock.

Still, Zoë returned his stare calmly, her eyes undeterred by the man others deemed as intimidating. Slowly, Sanders frowned, as if only then realizing the terms Zoë had declared were completely serious.

"Do you actually think you can go against the interest of the high society, and that they will allow it?" Sanders questioned with a disbelieving laugh.

Zoë didn't even flinch. "I see what's in your heart now, . Fear of the powerful. I'm disappointed, sir."

Sanders leaned forward at that, his voice coming out as harsh whisper. "This is a dangerous game you're playing, girl. People with all kind of influences will turn against you. Surrender now, while you still can."

"You make a great mistake by underestimating us, sir. I'll make sure you see that for yourself," Zoë warned calmly.

"And you make a mistake by underestimating them, girl. They will attack you, in more numbers than the ones you're ready to face."

"They will attack, yes, and we will defend ourselves, in numbers far greater than those you imagine. Then, we will retaliate," Zoë whispered as she cleaned her hands with a napkin. She then stood up and grabbed her coat and hat before turning to the shocked policeman. "Please, make sure you pay the staff for the food and the tea. I'm sure you can spare some of the money given to you by those you fear. Good day, sir."

As she exited the shop without looking back, Zoë studied the group of houses before her, noticing her sisters hidden in the alley to her left, by the buildings ceiling, or on either side of the tea shop under disguise.

Once she found Margaret by the alley a few meters to her left on the other side of the street, Zoë nodded to herself and walked towards the edge of the curb, waiting until a car sped past her before crossing it.

It seemed they were going to need the plan B, after all.

* * *

It'd be a lie to say Sanders had been intimidated by the words of the leader of the Hunters.

Still, Zoë's words had sunk within him, shadowing his every thought, tainting the little calm he managed to achieve late at dusk when all work was done and he was free from his duties until the next day.

If Sanders could point out anything positive out of his battling' experience in France, that would be his new impatience for games. Sanders had seen what war makes to a person, after all, and he had experienced it for himself. The constant dread, the constant threat breathing down his neck in a warning that never seemed to materialize until it was too late had made Sanders a desperate man. Desperate to live his life free from games, smooth words or pending wonderings.

While he still deemed a woman as too weak and inferior to play the game of power, he still had studied his opponent the enough to know that she wouldn't be undeterred by his threat. She would attack, and she would do so in a manner that hurt him the most.

Now, the question was how. Taking into account his many responsibilities, burdens, and fears, Sanders wondered which of them had become the target of Zoë Nightshade.

It was that wondering, that feeling in his gut, that threat breathing down his neck that tortured him a little more as the days passed, while also filling him with violent anger and the determination to solve this once and for all.

The move he had been dreading was made a week and a half after Sanders' meeting with Zoë.

The station sent him a telegram while he was still at home, getting ready for the day's work. He cursed as he read the message before throwing the telegram to the fire and grabbing his coat and hat. He left his breakfast untouched on his table and rushed out of his house, immediately getting into his car and driving to Winkleman Insurance Company.

He was received by a few of his officers who had been taking the testimony of the employees. They led him downstairs, towards the underground level which also served as the high security' chamber in which the money earned by the company was kept.

A very angry Mr. Winkleman received him with a note. Sanders took it with hesitant fingers and put on his glasses to read what the elegant scribe said.

'Whether by our words or our actions, you will listen to us. - H.'

Sanders looked up and glanced at the opened safe, which was completely empty. Then, he looked at one of his officers.

"Put me in contact with Zoë Nightshade."

* * *

"I wished I could have seen their faces when they noticed the empty vault," Phoebe laughed as she sat on her seat around the meeting room in their headquarters. She then passed the bottle of whisky she was carrying to Kamilla before smiling at Zoë. "Tell me what Sanders said to you."

"I have told you countless times already, sister," Zoë replied in return. She straightened on her own seat to nod in Phoebe's direction as the latter took a big gulp of whisky directly from the bottle. "Easy with that. Immortality does not stop you from getting completely plastered."

"C'mon, Zoë, we've been alive for two thousand years, give or take a few centuries," Phoebe said with a giggle. Beyond the closed door, they could hear the celebration going on downstairs. "You need to loosen up. Now, tell us again!"

"Okay but share, alright? I won't help you with your hangover tomorrow if you're a selfish brat tonight," Zoë replied with a smile as she stood up and snatched the glass bottle out of Phoebe's hands. Ignoring her sister's pout, she handed the bottle to Katerina. "Our interests are now the police department's priority. We are holding Winkleman's money for a week and, under the condition of seeing some results when it comes to their work with needing women and children, we will give it back untouched."

"He could still betray us, though," Kamilla mused. She nodded her thanks as Katerina passed her the bottle and looked at Zoë. "After we give back the money, I mean. They could decide doing as we say isn't in their best interest."

"I think we've already proved ourselves to honourable Chief Sanders," Zoë shook her head before shrugging with a smirk. "But if he decides to betray us, we'll just target another of the rich, corrupt families of Brighton."

"What about Margaret and Harriet?" Phoebe suddenly asked. She looked towards the door longingly when music began to resonate from the floor below them but she then shook her head and focused on Zoë again. "Are they joining the Hunt? We could use them."

Zoë shrugged before snatching the bottle of whisky just as it was about to reach Phoebe once again. She sat back again on her seat and smiled cheekily when Phoebe pouted at her. "I don't know, sister. I've been thinking about what you said before and I really hope they decide to enter the Hunt, though."

"See? You and your stupid words," Kamilla shot at Phoebe, cackling when Phoebe elbowed her roughly.

"What did I say exactly?" Phoebe asked as she focused on her leader again.

Zoë, who had witnessed the scene with a exasperated, yet fond smile, shook her head dismissively at Phoebe. She then placed her feet on the table before her, cradling the half-empty bottle to herself. "What you said about us not knowing the people anymore. The four of us, we're the oldest members of the Hunt. Everyone else, they have died in battle or have decided to leave our sisterhood. When you come to realize it, everything we thought we knew has changed, yet we have stayed the same. We haven't taken new members since before the French Revolution. It's time that changes if we still want to make a change in the world."

"Huh, that," Phoebe sighed as she nodded to herself, slowly taking her sister's words in. "As much as I agree with you, I now feel old so could I please have the bottle back?"

"Don't give it to her, Zoë. She is already halfway to being completely pissed and we'll have to deal with that tomorrow," Katerina intervened, laughing with Kamilla at the expense of the sullen ginger hunter.

Zoë laughed before raising an eyebrow at her second-in-command. "I told you to share, sister."

And with that, Zoë took the first gulp of alcohol she'd had in decades, echoed by her sister's cheering on.

"I've heard of your recent victory, girls. I'm happy to see you celebrating."

At once, the four girls stood from the chairs and bowed their heads to their lady, who had materialized herself into the room.

Zoë was the first to straighten. She smiled thinly at Artemis before backing away from her seat and offering it to her. "Thank you, my lady. It's been a hard task but we're happy to have made it to the other side."

Artemis nodded her agreement as she made it around the table towards the seat Zoë had offered. Her silver hunting dress contrasted dramatically against the dark tones of the meeting room, yet it only served to enhance the goddess' beauty. As it was her usual, her auburn hair had been braided and it fell down her back next to the leather quiver that hung across her back. Her forehead sported a golden circle with a medallion shaped like a crescent moon resting on her forehead. "I hope this mortals will respect the sisterhood from now on, Zoë. The gods do not interfere in this sort of matters, I'm afraid, but that doesn't mean I can't pull some strings if my girls are threatened again."

"Thank you, my lady," Zoë nodded her thanks, her lips sporting a small smile.

Ever since their victory against Orion and the beginning of their alliance with the Amazons, Artemis had worked in closer contact with her surrogate daughters, therefore becoming one of the most sensible deities when it came to mortals' welfare. There were still monsters to be hunted down, for sure, and while Artemis still found pleasure to hunt them with her hunters, she had come to enjoy becoming involved in her girls' daily activities, often bringing them new girls or tipping them off about new female demigods in need of assistance.

Zoë walked down the right side of the table and dragged the chair next to Kamilla away from the table in order to sit down. She shook her head when both Phoebe and Kamilla offered her chairs and set her eyes on Artemis. "Tell me, my lady. Is there anything you need our assistance in?"

"Actually, there is." Artemis leaned back on her chair and set her bow on her lap before sighing. "I am afraid I have some unsettling news, girls."

"What is it?" Phoebe asked hesitatingly.

"I came straight from a meeting at Olympus," Artemis replied. Her feelings were carefully concealed but for someone who had known her for several millennials, such as Zoë, that was no impediment when it came to reading the lady's face. Zoë could see anger, frustration and anxiety, and it made her stiffen uncomfortably.

Then, her lady continued talking.

"As you know, the gods like to relocate everything we've dragged with us from the Ancient Age as the center of the world shifts. Since the Industrial Revolution, the center has been in England, so here's where we've been. Now, we can feel the tides of the world changing yet again. A new territory is arising, more powerful than England or any of the places we've been before. We'll be moving there soon."

"Where, my lady?" Zoë asked after noticing her sisters were too shocked to voice any questions.

Artemis looked at Zoë with weary eyes. "We're moving to America, Zoë. Before too long, we'll have to relocate in the United States."

"America?" Kamilla was aghast. "The new continent? We've never crossed the ocean! We don't know that territory! How are going to get there? If Poseidon decides to strike us down while we cross the ocean, we're not going to have much chance of surviving, even those capable of swimming!"

"I have already reached an agreement with Poseidon," Artemis replied calmly. "In exchange of hunting down any monsters in the New World willing to threaten his rule in the seas, he'll grant us protection during our journey across the Atlantic Ocean."

"But our sisters," Katerina whispered. She turned towards Zoë with a burdened expression. "They have become attached to this place. We cannot move them across the world without their permission."

"Katerina is right, Zoë," Phoebe agreed. All signs of her inebriation seemed to have evaporated. She turned to look at Zoë with a grim expression. "Once we leave, we won't be able to come back. We've been able to visit all the other places we've been before - France, Rome, Greece -, because there was no big ocean separating us. Once we leave, it will be too dangerous to cross the ocean again."

Zoë nodded at that, her lips pursed as she lightly tapped her fingers against the wooden table before her in a thoughtful manner. She thought of everyone they had met and lost in the continent. Sophia, Maya, Kallisto.

She thought of the allies they had made and lost due to war or old age. Hippolyta and all the other Amazons that came after her.

How could they depart from their history so easily?

How were they expected to leave everything they knew without hesitation?

After a few moments, she looked up at Artemis. "How long do we have, my lady?"

"It's hard to say, Zoë," Artemis replied with sympathetic eyes. "The Fates seem to be expecting another major event in the world that will consolidate America's power. They did not want to offer us gods more details, not even when Zeus pressed on."

Zoë nodded, unconsciously biting her lips. "What about my girls, then? Am I free to offer them a choice?"

Artemis smiled at that. "We have discussed this before. When it comes to your sisters, you can offer them anything you see fit. You're their lieutenant, after all."

Zoë took a deep breath before raising from her chair and straightening. "I know what to do, then. Will you lead us downstairs, my lady?"

For all answer, Artemis raised from her chair as well, followed by the other hunters, and made her way gracefully towards the door. "Follow me, girls."

* * *

Margaret and Harriet had been chatting with interest with some of the hunters when the doors to the meeting room opened, and Artemis herself exited them, followed by the highest ranking hunters.

Margaret and Harriet hurried over to the front of the gathered crowd, not needing to ask who was this beautiful woman in silver as they noticed the hunters kneeling down out of respect for their lady. The two mortals looked at each other with wonderment before following the women's lead.

As Artemis stood in the middle of the makeshift circle with Zoë, the other three joining the crowd, Margaret and Harriet could only stare at the goddess before them, in awe of how normal, yet how clearly supernatural she was. With her hunting dress, her leather vest, her feet clad in sandals and her tight braid falling down her back, Artemis was exactly like statues and pictures described her, yet nothing like it. In a way, to them Artemis was the creature with the most life they had ever encountered. Her aura shone bright, even brighter than Zoë's or Phoebe's.

"Good evening, girls," Artemis greeted with a genuine small smile as her hunters raised to their feet. "I hope you're having a wonderful celebration for your most recent victory."

Artemis' last words were lost in the chorus of loud cheers coming from the hunters gathered, who clinked their bottles filled with all kinds of alcohol with a smirk or laughed as they pushed each other playfully. Behind Artemis, Zoë shook her head with amusement and fond exasperation.

"Now, I've come here to deliver some news," Artemis continued once the chaos died down. She then turned and nodded at Zoë. "I will let your lieutenant share them with you, as there is a decision you will all need to make before too long."

Zoë nodded at Artemis with respect before turning towards her sisters. She took a few steps forward in an authoritative manner, and before too long she found herself in the perfect middle of the makeshift circle.

Margaret glanced around her, noticing how all of the women standing besides her and Harriet waited expectantly for what their beloved leader would say. The two of them had heard many good things about the woman in charge of that sisterhood. Tales of her history, her pain, and how she had used her family's and friend's betrayal to make a new future for herself, a future in which no woman had to go through what she had been through.

To live for thousands of years, watching the world rise and fall time after time, that prospect and the idea of an endless life only meant torture for Harriet and Margaret. Watching everyone they knew die, befriending people from all over the world while knowing that sooner or later they would pass away while they stayed as unchanging as ever...they couldn't imagine the amount of pain implied, a pain some of the woman around them had actually gone through.

To live for the rest of the world's days, that meant accepting how fickle humans' life actually was.

Still, Margaret and Harriet didn't have anything waiting for them in their mortals' lives. They knew their life'd been following a dead end path for years now. The world revolved around connections, money and power. Having none of the three, it seemed as if the two had been waiting for an opportunity to fall on their lap. Something, anything that would make their lives about something more than mere survival.

The opportunity had finally been granted onto them.

The invitation to join the Hunt had been given.

All left to do was listen to the sisterhood' leader.

"My sisters. I come to you with important news," Zoë declared. She slowly turned around in her spot as she spoke, making sure she locked eyes with all of her sisters. "The decision Lady Artemis refers to is one we hunters have taken every time the world has shifted and the power has turned to some country or the other."

"Are we leaving England, Zoë?" asked one of the hunters who stood near the two mortal girls.

Zoë turned towards them and locked eyes with Margaret and Harriet for a moment before nodding at the hunter. "Aye, Beau. We do not exactly where, but it is clear England isn't going to be the center of the world for much longer. Before too long, we'll move to the United States."

"The United States?" echoed yet another of the hunters. "How are we supposed to continue our work here if we cross the ocean? How will we be able to even make it back here?"

"That's the thing. Once we leave, our numbers will be needed in America. We won't come back." Zoë replied, rolling her eyes when whispered concerns and comments echoed around her. She walked towards the hunter who had asked that question and placed her hands on her shoulders. "Nina, do you think I'd actually force you to move? Do you think I could do that to my sisters?"

When Nina shook her head silently, Zoë turned towards the others, her arms raised as if asking any of the others to voice their doubts. "Regardless of when did you join the Hunt, I stand besides each and every single one of you equally. We're sisters in every matter of the word. We've lived, laughed, mourned and battled together and for me, there is no family but this one. My loyalty, my love and my faith stands with you, as it has ever since I joined this sisterhood. I have been your lieutenant for two thousand years and, while everything else might have changed, what hasn't changed is my family. My family lies in each and every single one of you."

Zoë then paused, shooting a glance at every hunter around her to make sure her words had sunk in. As she confirmed for herself that all raising claims and doubts had been eased for the moment, Zoë nodded to herself and carried on, "I never had a home, not until I joined this crew. As such, I'm used to moving around and, knowing that our job will be waiting for us no matter where we go, my troubles are eased, for I know we'll be of help regardless of where we move."

The lieutenant paused as she glanced at Artemis, straightening when the goddess nodded her approval. After a pause, she turned back to her sisters. "That being said, it was the gods that made this decision. There're Gods and there's the Hunt. We've stood much closer to the civilization than them since the beginning, so it only makes sense for us to decide our future with a different criteria."

Phoebe took a step forward, looking at Zoë as if she'd grown a third head. "What are you talking about?"

Zoë smirked. "What I mean is that I give you a choice. You may stay here, still as part of the Hunt and still focused on the same agenda, or you can follow me into the new continent. Of course, demigods won't have a choice but to come with us, as your scent will only heighten when no longer in a territory under the influence of the Gods, and therefore putting yourselves at risk of being attacked by monsters. Apart from that, those who decide to leave, we will recreate our work in the United States, establishing our network of operations from scratch. Those who decide to stay, while you won't be able to welcome any other into the sisterhood as the gods will not return to this continent, you will have my endless gratitude, as I'll know that, no matter where the rest of us are, you will continue the work we started here countless generations ago."

The room was enveloped in a heavy silence, as the hunters thought of the words her leader had spoken, and it's heavy implications.

For the first time, hunters would be separated but, most importantly, they would be free to choose their heart's desire. They owed that choice, that freedom, to no one but their leader. Zoë had seen more sisters rise and fall than any other. She'd led them into victory and defeat, she had cried and laughed with them and she'd made it her life's purpose to protect them regardless of the circumstances.

The decision she had now reached was so kind, so selfless, that her sisters couldn't help but wipe their eyes off any tears and swallow down the emotion they felt rising up their throats. After all, Zoë had granted them the freedom of making a choice, so they now owed it to her to let her speak without any sort of interruptions.

Meanwhile, Margaret and Harriet looked at each other, both of them smiling slightly as they saw the decision made in each other's eyes. Then, Margaret took an hesitant step forward and addressed Zoë. "I apologize for interrupting, lieutenant, but you offered us a spot in your sisterhood. Has that changed with this new turn of events?"

Zoë turned towards them and regarded them silently before nodding to herself and advancing towards the mortal duo. "Yes, it has changed, Margaret. Should you agree to become members of the Hunt, you'll stay here."

"What?" Harriet asked in disbelief. She stood beside Margaret and frowned at Zoë, her anger making her forget everything about her usual shy' nature. "You've given a grand speech about giving us the freedom of choice, yet you make the choice for Margaret and I?"

"You two have taught me quite a lot about the current society, my dear Harriet," Zoë explained with a chuckle. She stood a few feet before the duo and crossed her arms in front of her chest with a sufficient smile. "Chief Sanders made me realize there's quite a lot I don't know about how the mortals think or what drives them. I've become aware of the fact that polite discussions or smooth words are no longer sufficient, while physical battle is now also mostly unacceptable. I take this knowledge with me with the hopes to find it use in the United States but here, in England, the sisters who stay will need leaders who know how the modern world works. That's the two of you."

"What?" Margaret could only whisper after minutes of shocked silence. Meanwhile, Harriet had gone even paler than usual, the impression caused by Zoë's words causing her to freeze completely.

Zoë's expression was clearly amused. "I apologize if I seem to be marking your fates, but I need to protect the wellbeing of the sisters I leave behind. Accept our invitation, and lead your sisters into victory."

Harriet and Margaret did not have to think twice.

"I agree," they said in unison.

Zoë nodded nodded with a triumphant grin and backed away towards Artemis as the hunters around them screamed or hit their weapons against the floor in approval. After a few moments of complete chaos, Artemis raised her hands in an calming manner.

"Harriet and Margaret, newest members of the Hunters of Artemis," the goddess said as she marched towards the two mortals. "Kneel and repeat after me."

* * *

**October 20th, 1947.**

Sun fell down the Port of London, lightening the waves with a bright shimmer. People from all classes busied themselves, walking up and down the immigration station and docks with heavy suitcases, their suits, jackets and hats wrinkled from the wind and sea water that sprinkled onto them as they made their way towards their respective ships. Kids ran between the different groups of people, playing amongst themselves or exploring the unfamiliar place, too impatient to wait for their slower families.

Slightly apart from the busy crowd, two women stood, the two of them looking towards the ship before them. The pearl white' transport was perfectly kept, speaking of the ship's recent building. People were already filling it, entire families of all sorts and numbers climbing onto the dock to study the sights around them with fascination, or leaning across the banister to say goodbye to the people waving at them enthusiastically from the docks.

"Do you think we'll be okay without them?" the shortest one, her hair of a fiery ginger, spoke in a calm tone, her eyes always on the ship.

"She taught us everything we need to know," the taller one, that one with long, dirty blonde hair falling down her shoulders, replied before shrugging her shoulders. "There's a reason she believes in us to carry on her work here. Besides, the others have agreed to our leadership. It'll be fine."

Her companion sighed with acceptance. "Fine but Margaret, if I have to ask you to control your temper one more time, it's me the one who's going to lose it."

Margaret rolled her eyes. "Will you chill already, Harriet? I'm the one with the hot temper and you're the calm one. It's always been like that and I don't see why you pretend to change it now."

Harriet sighed again and adjusted her hat to cover the silver circle around her forehead. "May the gods help us."

Above the ship, Zoë felt uncomfortable about not wearing even one silver clothing' article for the first time in decades. Still, knowing it was for the best in order to pass unnoticed by the other passengers, she left her sisters by the banister next to the docks, and walked to the other side of the deck, this one much emptier, all the while breathing deeply in an attempt to calm down.

"Are you alright?" Phoebe asked as Zoë stood beside her.

Zoë looked at the horizon before her and sighed. "I can't help but wonder what will happen to us. What will happen to those we leave behind, and those coming with us. This journey feels sort of final, for some reason."

"Oh, cut that out," Phoebe snapped impatiently before turning towards her best friend. "Look, no matter what happens next, we will face it together, just like we have faced the past thousands of years. Really, are you about to start worrying about us now? After everything we've conquered?"

Zoë couldn't help but smile at that. "I'm being silly, aren't I?"

"You think?" Phoebe scoffed before placing a hand on Zoë's shoulder. "Look, we will be in touch with Margaret and Harriet and we'll get to setting up our activities in New York as soon as we arrive. We have a plan and now we just have to follow it through, alright?"

Zoë nodded with a slight smirk. "Bring it on, America."

"That's the spirit, sister!" Phoebe laughed as she wrapped an arm around her sister's shoulder.

And, as the ship eventually sailed away from the old continent and towards the new one, neither sister turned back to look at the place they once called home.


	6. And One Shall Perish By A Parent's Hand

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> At last, chapter 6 is here! So, for this chapter I'm studying a little bit my take on how Zoe felt knowing that she would die and being unable to say anything about it. I think the experience must have been quite traumatic for her, actually, so I wanted to go over that with this chapter.
> 
> Disclaimer: The title of this is directly taken from the prophecy in "The Titan's Curse". As you will notice, there are some differences between the storyline in TTC and the one here but I haven't read TTC in a few years so bear with me.
> 
> Please give this story some kudos, bookmark it and subscribe! Chapter 7 is already finished but there are some things I need to edit. However, I will say it is centered around Percy and Zoe, so it's going to be really cool.
> 
> Cheers for reading!

After the prophecy was recited, Zoe headed straight for the archery grounds.

For more than two thousand years, no male had been any sort of opponent for Zoe Nightshade. For more than two millenniums, she'd lead the Hunters with precision and focus. Throughout all the deaths and losses around her, throughout the grief, throughout the change; precision had been the thing she'd held onto in order to be the best leader possible.

So, when in desperate times, one could find Zoe Nightshade training with her bow.

With an impatient grunt, Zoe shrugged her silver coat off her shoulders before clearing the strands of hair falling from her braid away from her face. Then, she notched an arrow to her bow.

As she went through the mechanical procedure of archery, one she'd perfected throughout her life, she tried to reason with herself. She tried to remember that she'd lived an eternal and epic life.

She tried to remember that, if she saved her lady by the end of the quest, then everything would be worth it. She tried to remember that, for every male who had dared to threaten her, they'd all ended up dead before they could step closer to her.

She tried to remember that she was a legend, so, if the Fates had decided on her death, then it meant her role in that world was coming to an end.

Still, as she raised her bow to shoot, her grip trembled as her soul was overcome with terror.

Because, despite all the methods she used to make peace with her incoming death, eight words had been tattooed to the back of her mind, there to haunt her for as long as she breathed.

_And one shall perish by a parent's hand._

Zoe knew what it meant.

Of course she knew.

The huntress took a deep breath and shot her arrow as she tried to calm her mind. Her thoughts were erratic, more panic than ever before in her life affecting her composure. Still, she tried to remind herself that her current emotional state didn't mean she was doomed. It didn't mean she was meant to be a blubbering mess until the day of her death.

It just meant it would take her longer to go back to normal. She could work with that.

Her body went through the motions as it readied her bow to shoot again. She thought of the rumours of The General, the second-in-command rising yet again to join the ranks of his superior. For a while, Zoe had heard of those rumours and, even if her heartbeat had faltered with fear, she still didn't have enough information to understand what it meant.

Now she knew.

Atlas.

Her father. The Titan in charge of holding up the sky. Kronos' lieutenant and right hand. He was The General. He was the parent the prophecy spoke of.

_And one shall perish by a parent's hand._

Her fingers trembled again but Zoe controlled her grip enough to shoot yet another bullseye. Then, she glanced upwards, in the direction of the setting sun. She wished it was night. The moon, the stars, those at least comforted her. They were her lady's elements and, in the absence of her, Zoe needed them to provide her with the reassurance she needed.

She continued to shoot as her thoughts went deeper, so deep that at last, Zoe was no longer in Camp Half-Blood.

She was in the ancient Garden of the Hesperides, watching herself be betrayed by Hercules and expelled from her home as a result. She was in the woods the night she became a lieutenant because her predecessor, her dear Kallisto, died because of Zeus. She was in Delos, watching how Apollo made Orion crazy, and in result began a war that lasted for a century and a half. She was in Ephesus, surrounded by her sisters - both Hunters and Amazons -, who were killed by the hand of Orion. She was in England, watching herself as Sanders made her realize that if she wanted to help modern women, then she needed to understand modern society as well.

She'd survived so much.

And now, it was all coming to an end.

_And one shall perish by a parent's hand._

Atlas, one way or the other, was coming for her. Ever since she became a huntress, and therefore a traitor in her father's eyes, Atlas had been a shadow. One that loomed over her thoughts and life, sure, but one distant, silent and subtle. So subtle that sometimes, she'd forget he existed.

And now, it was all ending. Her efforts would vanish with her. Her fight against those who threatened women would disappear off the edge of the world. Her words, her thoughts, her every action, it would all fade into oblivion, just like her name herself.

Eventually, Zoe Nightshade would be nothing but a myth. The dreams she had of making society equal for all genders would be shattered the second Atlas claimed her life.

It had all been for nothing.

Zoe was startled out of her trance with that thought. With shock, she hesitantly raised her hand, and wiped her tears off. Then, she stared at her hand, looking at the transparent liquid almost as if she didn't know what it was.

She couldn't remember the last time she'd cried.

It was then that she began to feel angry. Right then and there, she raised her loaded bow with renovated strength, her lips pulled into an angry snarl.

She would die without being able to complete her work. She would die by the hands of the ultimate misogynistic creature. She would die without being able to say a proper goodbye to Katerina, Kamilla, or any of her sisters that would stay in Camp Half-Blood. She would have to go on a quest with an obnoxious daughter of Zeus, a sister she'd just welcomed into the Hunt and a male satyr she didn't even know. At least Phoebe was going with her but still, Zoe knew she wouldn't be able to say anything to her without raising suspicions.

_And one shall perish by a parent's hand._

With angry tears rolling down her cheeks, Zoe continued shooting. She shot, and shot and shot and she would continue shooting until she felt her strength back, until she felt she had enough resilience to endure the next tasks. Her pending tasks were detailed in her mind, ready to be executed. The execution itself, that was what Zoe wasn't really keen on.

So, she relied on precision. As she always did, she would shelter herself behind a mask of strength, determination and endurance until it was all over.

And, if she met a person curious to know their death' date along her way, she would knock the sense into them with her bow.

"Zoe!"

The lieutenant gasped, pulling herself back into focus. Her thoughts retreated and so did the fog that seemed to be clouding her mind and burying it into darkness. As if on cue, she felt the refreshing cool air she was inhaling and, glancing around, she realized with surprise it was already dark.

Almost as if drawn to it, her eyes drifted to the target before her. So many arrows had been shot into the same exact spot that half of them had fallen in pieces, forming a pile just below the target. Besides it, a short girl with spiky, black hair, piercing eyes and a leather jacket was staring at her with a frown.

Zoe had half a mind to shoot that rude little girl off the hill.

"I called you several times," Thalia declared with a bite in her voice. She glared at Zoe. "Is it wise for a girl so prone to daydreaming to hold a bow in her hands?"

"Until you've spent centuries perfectioning a skill, daughter of Zeus, you cannot presume to have the privilege of judging me." Zoe straightened with a proud glance. At least, facing an annoying girl such as Thalia made it easy for Zoe to shield her emotions away from the world. "Are you here for any reason in particular?"

"Yes. Chiron gave the lights off' warning." Thalia replied with distaste. She looked Zoe up and down as if measuring her before carrying on. "I was practicing with my spear in the training grounds behind yours so I figured I should warn you. Since we're going to go on a quest together, we might as well be civil to one another."

"I appreciate your intention, Thalia Grace," Zoe replied, her bow already raised to shoot yet another arrow. "But I'm no teenager, even if I seem like it. Your sleeping time means nothing to me."

"What about the Harpies who will eat anyone they see out of their beds? Do they mean anything to you?"

Zoe narrowed her eyes at Thalia before finally snapping. "Fine. But if you ask me, this rule is ridiculous."

"I didn't make it," Thalia shrugged as she helped Zoe gather all of her arrows, both intact and broken. As she handed the hunter the ones she'd picked up, Thalia seemed to hesitate.

Zoe caught on and cocked her head with inquisition. "What is it?"

"You seem to be hiding something." Thalia blurted out bluntly. She narrowed her eyes when Zoe only adopted a defensive posture. "And I need to know what it is."

"There are countless things that I know and you don't, daughter of Zeus," Zoe retaliated. She began walking down the hill with Thalia hot on her heels. "Telling you isn't precisely high in my list of priorities."

"Look, I get that you're some sort of superwoman but we aren't rescuing a random demigod. We're rescuing Annabeth, my best friend." Thalia grabbed Zoe's arm and forced her to stop her retreat before glowering at the huntress. "Seven years ago, I was ready to die for her and that hasn't changed now. If what you're hiding is going to affect the course of the quest, then you need to tell me. Our main priority is making sure the quest is successful and that Annabeth comes back in one piece."

"You're right, the quest needs to be successful," Zoe thundered with a regal tone. She freed her arm before pointing at Thalia with her bow. "But it is not just Annabeth, it is Artemis too. You think you can compare your ephemeral friendship with her to the friendship I've had with Artemis for two thousand years? Can you even understand that level of relationship? Can you even understand that level of time?"

"Do I have to care?" Thalia retorted. "You and I are both rescuing our best friends, that much I know. Still, you and I are very different, as we confirmed when we last encountered one another. So, for the last time, if you make us fail because of your little secrets, I will join the Hunt just so I can punch you in the face for the rest of eternity."

"There is much you don't know, daughter of Zeus," Zoe laughed mockingly. "What you aren't ready to know is even more. Now, if we're able to work together, then we might find out we have more in common than the undying loyalty we have for our friends. Until then, daughter of Zeus or not, your powers are no threat to me, so I'd put an end to the vacant threats."

Without waiting for a response, Zoe made her way towards cabin eight.

Hopefully, her dreams would provide her with the safe haven she was craving for.

Above her, the stars shone brightly, yet unseen by the Lieutenant.

* * *

_The first thing Zoe could feel was the chains around her wrists._

_She couldn't see anything around her and, after a moment in which she panickedly held her breath, she realized her hair had fallen around her face. Beyond her loose, dark hair, Zoe could see glimpses of an ashen ground, one seemingly devoid of all life._

_Taking deep breaths in order to stay focused, Zoe twirled her hands, trying to feel the chains trapping her. She didn't know where she was or why but if there was one thing she knew, it was that she needed to get away from there._

_The General was approaching._

" _Zoe!"_

_Zoe lifted her head immediately, wincing as it seemed to throb from the sudden movement. She could feel a liquid running down the side of her face but all she had time to do was wish the gash in her forehead wasn't too deep. Nothing else mattered. Not her pain, her weariness or her fear._

_Because it was in that moment that her vision cleared enough for her to discern what was before her._

_Artemis was chained before her._

" _My lady!" Zoe gasped shockedly. She tried to rise to her feet but fell down to her knees as soon as she put pressure on her chained wrists. Her gaze drifted wildly through the landscape as she studied her surroundings, trying to find any escape for her and her leader._

_Artemis wasn't chained in a orthodox manner. Her silver dress was teared in different places, a clear sign that she had struggled before being defeated. Her long, auburn hair fell around her face. Her hands were holding something above her and they trembled slightly with exertion._

_Zoe recognized what it was with a gasp._

_Artemis was holding up the sky._

" _Zoe, don't come," Artemis urged her desperately. "He's after you, you know he is. Don't come!"_

" _Of course I'll come!" Zoe retorted hotly. "I won't leave you here!"_

" _I can deal with him, Zoe!" Artemis pleaded. Silver tears fell down her cheeks as she grunted painfully. Still, her hands managed to get a firmer grip on the sky. "And I already lost Kallisto. I won't lose you too! Especially not to a male!"_

" _I will kill him, my lady," Zoe promised with determination. "I will avenge you for the offense he's committed. I swear it, my lady."_

" _You make me laugh, little girl."_

_Zoe's eyes widened in fear as that voice whispered from behind her. She wanted to believe it had been a trick of her mind or a glitch in the dream she was having but when Artemis began to glare at someone behind her, Zoe knew better than to hold false hopes._

_Atlas was there._

_As she realized that, the ground began to tremble as heavy steps made its way towards her. She focused on her surroundings in order to keep her cool. Utter darkness surrounded her, one so black that nothing but Artemis and the chains around her wrists could be glimpsed from where she knelt._

_Artemis herself was in a dark cave made of stone on either side, the Sky working as its roof. Zoe realized with dread that she could only see Artemis because of the silver aura that she was emanating._

_If the stars could have been seen beyond all that darkness, Zoe might have been able to be more courageous._

_Unfortunately, no star was there for Zoe to find comfort in._

_And when the thudding steps stopped right behind Zoe, the leader of the Hunt felt as if she'd become a little girl again._

" _I'm the General, little hunter. You cannot defeat me."_

Zoe awoke with a breathless scream. Holding a hand to her rapidly beating heart, she thrashed around in her cot as she gathered her surroundings. Once she confirmed she was just outside cabin eight, still laying on the cot she'd placed out there, Zoe lay on her back with a thud.

Then, she sighed as she covered her eyes.

Zoe couldn't delay it any longer.

She needed help.

* * *

Zoe was staring at the flames by the fireplace in the Big House when a thick blanket was laid on her shoulders.

Instantly, she tried to shrug her melancholic state as she cleared her throat. "I apologize for the intrusion."

"It's been a while since I was needed this late at night." Chiron replied as he moved to sit a few feet to Zoe's right. He was in his wheelchair wearing his pajamas but his smile was warm and honest. "It's refreshing, in a way."

Zoe shook her head weakly. Subconsciously, she tightened her grip on the blanket around her shoulders as she straightened on her seat. The comfy sofa where she was would have been lulling her to sleep, had she not been so terrified. "You're too kind. I'm sure chatting with immortal hunters during the early hours of the morning isn't on your job description."

"My job description says that I'm here to help when I'm needed." Chiron counteracted kindly. "I have the feeling you need me, Zoe Nightshade."

Zoe gulped as her eyes drifted again towards the fireplace. The flames reminded her of every fire her sisters and herself had built as they hunted monsters. It reminded her of the discussions they had, the stories they shared, the pranks they made. Oh, how would she miss it.

Finally, Zoe nodded to herself as she spoke weakly. "I need to talk to someone who knows as much of the world as I do. Who knows as much of the gods and titans."

Chiron nodded too, as if he had been expecting that. "You mean the General. You figured out who he is."

The General...Atlas." Zoe had a hard time saying that name out loud. As of late, she had thought of him frequently but it had been more of a dreadful thought she had constantly. One that shouldn't be spoken aloud. "My father...and the titan who is holding both Artemis and Annabeth hostage. At last, I shall meet Atlas again."

"You can attempt to run, Zoe." Chiron pleaded. He leaned forward on his seat as if desperate for Zoe to agree with him. "You don't have to face him."

Zoe wanted to laugh, strangely. She remembered Artemis' panic in her dream, telling her to run, to refuse the quest, to flee from Atlas. Artemis was one of her closest friends, while she had met Chiron countless times throughout the centuries but still, it amused her that two immortals were so worried about her. They should have been used to death by then.

"Yes, I do. You know I do." Zoe declared. She took off the silver circle she'd worn on her head for two milenniums and twirled it in her hands as she continued. "Even if I didn't care about Lady Artemis, I still wouldn't be able to live like that, feeling the threat breathing down my neck, waiting for me to be distracted so it can finish me off."

"So you will die protecting those women unable to protect themselves." Chiron hung his head as a show of respect. "You're an honorable woman, Zoe Nightshade."

This time, Zoe couldn't control her laughter. She shook her head as deep chuckles erupted from her. "I made an oath thousands of years ago, when I saw one of my closest friends lose her life because of a male. I won't break it now when I'm about to die."

"Still, the prospect seems daunting." Chiron mused softly. "You're someone who doesn't beat around the bush, Zoe, so I won't bother sugarcoating it. Are you really at peace with this?"

Was she at peace with this?

Of course she wasn't. Her soul was made of fire, a fire that hadn't been extinguished regardless of everything she'd gone through and everyone she'd lost. For every action meant to harm her, she'd only grown stronger and more determined to fight.

Still, she knew her fate had been sealed. She knew her death was a sure thing. Zoe was going to face Atlas again and she wasn't going to make it. How could she not be in peace with it when there was no other way?

Instead of replying, Zoe left the blanket on the couch and rose to her feet. She made her way towards the fireplace and rested a hand against the structure made of bricks. Her gaze drifted through the pictures of past demigods as she spoke. "It's weird, because I joined the Hunt to get rid of males. Instead, my life seems to have been perpetually affected by them."

Chiron replied immediately. "It might be so, but look how you changed the lives of the women around you."

"Maybe. But one thing doesn't alter the other." Zoe turned and looked at Chiron proudly, even as she admitted her fate. "I will still die because of a male."

"Maybe that's the real war." Chiron inched closer to Zoe. "The one between those who want gender equality and the ones who don't."

"It seems as if everything is related when you look at it in retrospective, doesn't it?" Zoe mused with a humorless smile. "Maybe we're just all pieces in a chessboard. Maybe all the work we think we've done over the years doesn't really matter. After all, we will all be forgotten, won't we?"

Zoe was aware she was extremely depressed but in a way, the conversation with Chiron was liberating, just as she hoped it would be. For once, she could talk to someone she didn't owe anything to. That meant she didn't have to protect him or care for his feelings. With that, Zoe could speak freely of her past and her fears, and she couldn't help but be extremely grateful to the immortal centaur.

Also, she was dying. She deserved to cry over her own fate.

"You will never be forgotten." Chiron declared vehemently. "What you've done...Zoe, you've put incredible passion to your cause. You changed the lives of countless women and children throughout the centuries. You cannot be forgotten."

Zoe's voice was small when she replied. "Will you make sure I'm not?"

"Of course."

"Chiron, I'm serious." Zoe sat on the couch again and rested her elbows on her knees as she leaned towards the centaur. "Whoever is in charge once I'm gone, they need to know the importance of what we've done. Nobody really knows it except for me and Phoebe. If it isn't Phoebe, then whoever is the new lieutenant needs to continue the work we've started. No matter what. Please, Chiron. Promise me you'll make sure they remember."

Chiron smiled and rested a hand on Zoe's darker one. "I swear it on the River Styx, Zoe Nightshade."

Zoe smiled tearfully and leaned back, resting her back on the couch's backrest with a defeated sigh. She glanced around Chiron's study, taking in the picture hanging on the brick walls, the chocolate tones in the furniture that made the room seem inviting and comforting. Books were neatly arranged by the bookcase to Zoe's left, slightly hidden by the mahogany desk that stood before it.

She couldn't help but imagine herself as a demigod. She tried to imagine having a semi-normal life. Zoe reckoned she would have trained, made friends. She even could have fallen in love. The latter was a inadmissible idea but, for a second, she couldn't help but attempt to form the image of what her life would have been if she wasn't Zoe Nightshade.

With a small smile, she realized she couldn't. No matter her tragic fate, she was Zoe Nightshade. What she'd done, everything she'd accomplished - that's what defined her.

It was reassuring to understand that. In a way, her incoming death seemed less tragic as a result.

"I've failed to kill two of the men who betrayed me, did you know that?" Zoe finally asked. "Hércules was dead long before I managed to track him down. Now, I'm going right to my father's den, and he's going to kill me. I will be dead and Atlas will be still polluting this world with his nasty presence. It seems wrong. I should have been able to kill them."

"It is wrong." Chiron replied. He suddenly stood from his wheelchair and walked towards a little cabinet by the far corner of the room as he continued. "But think of the justice you've made in this world. Does it really matter that the justice you made wasn't for yourself?"

"I suppose it doesn't." Zoe admitted. She followed Chiron's actions with her eyes and smiled when he returned with a bottle of whisky and two glasses. "In a way, you and I aren't that different, Chiron. We both live for others. And we've both chosen it that way."

"You're right." Chiron agreed as he made it to Zoe again. He handed Zoe a glass and the bottle. Hunter and centaur stood before one another as the former filled the glasses. "Let's make a toast in your honour, Zoe Nightshade. Let's toast in honour of The Huntress."

* * *

The day after that found Zoe walking towards Artemis' cabin with a deep scowl. Campers scurried away from her in fear but Zoe barely acknowledged them.

After her conversation with Chiron, Zoe decided on focusing her last efforts on making whatever time she had left in the world as productive as possible. She had only taken note on a few personal errands she needed to make before she went to the quest. The rest of her time would be devoted to helping her sisters with whatever they needed.

One thing she never thought she would have to add to the list was saying goodbye to Phoebe before she left.

She always thought her favorite sister, her very best friend, would go with her.

With decisive steps, she climbed up the steps towards Cabin Eight and opened the door with a bang. Inside, her sisters were surrounding a cot by the window but scurried away the moment they noticed their leader.

"Zoe, good." Katerina spoke as she walked towards Zoe with a relieved smile. "I was about to call you."

"I heard about this from the culprits themselves, Katerina." Zoe replied evenly, her eyes on the ginger girl resting on the cot. She crossed her arms before her chest and frowned. "What is this I hear of you being in bedrest?"

Phoebe sighed. "I know, no one is angrier than I am. It was those two sons of Hermes. The prank they pulled on me yesterday after Capture The Flag left me with this nasty rash."

Zoe marched towards her as the room fell into silence, the sisters waiting for what their leader would say. She sat on the cot besides her sister and gently grabbed her arm. She could only grimace as she studied the bright red blotches decorating Phoebe's pale skin.

"We already had someone from the Apollo cabin take a look at her," Katerina spoke again. She then chuckled slightly. "You should have seen the face of that Fletcher kid. He was utterly intimidated by us."

Zoe didn't chuckle. Her voice was dangerously even as she continued questioning. "And Chiron? Does he know about the stunt those two heathens pulled on one of us?"

"He knows. He is expecting you in the Big House to discuss it when you're ready." Katerina replied instantly.

"I want to hunt them down," Phoebe intervened. She pouted at Zoe as she pleaded. "Please, Zoe, can I?"

"I have a better idea," Zoe replied with a small smile. Usually, she would be more lenient but this time, two males had cut short the little time she had left with Phoebe. She couldn't forgive that easily.

"You have the evil plan' look. You just thought of a wonderful revenge and I love it," Phoebe gushed excitedly. "What is it?"

Biting her lips to cover her smile, Zoe rose to her feet and turned towards her sisters. "While I understand this was a practical joke, the culprits have deprived us from our best hunter while we're at the verge of heading into a quest to save Lady Artemis and Annabeth Chase. I cannot forgive this easily."

"What are your orders, then?" Kamilla asked this time.

"Wait, what do you mean I'm not going to the quest?" Phoebe asked from behind her, her voice laced with outrage.

Zoe took a deep breath. She had been dreading that moment.

"The sons of Hermes who did this will serve Phoebe for as long as it takes her to recover. They will attend to every single need of Phoebe's for as long as she's in bedrest. For every prank they pull on her, it will mean one more day of punishment." Zoe declared with a smirk. "Kamilla and Katerina, let Chiron know of this and beware them that Phoebe is rather needy. They will have to be ready for her regardless of the time. Bianca, wait outside for me so we can discuss the quest a little bit more. The rest, please leave me alone with Phoebe for a moment."

"You better tell me you're joking because you are not going without me!" Phoebe declared angrily as Zoe sat besides her again and the others made their way to the door. "I'm fine, Zoe, please don't leave me behind!"

"If the Head Counselor for Apollo's cabin says you need bed rest, then you need bed rest. Even if it is a boy," Zoe chuckled against her will. She brushed Phoebe's hair away from her face as her voice broke slightly. "You know I could never leave you behind otherwise. We're a team, Phoebe. We always have been."

"You sound strangely melancholic, Zoe," Phoebe frowned. "Are you okay? Did something happen?"

And the moment had come. The moment in which she would have to say goodbye to her best friends for thousands of years. Phoebe was her sister, her person, and her emotional support. They'd had each other's back since the beginning of their journey together and now that it was coming to an end, Zoe couldn't quite fathom the idea of living without Phoebe. She truly hoped Phoebe would be able to live without her because, at the end of the day, Phoebe was the most amazing person she had the honor to meet and she deserved to live for two thousand years more.

Lying to Phoebe was the worst part of saying goodbye.

"I just hate seeing you hurt." Zoe finally replied with a small smile. "Remember when you saved all those amazons and you were injured by Orion as a result? I wanted to destroy him for doing that to you."

"And you did, Zoe. We have each other's backs, don't we?" Phoebe lay a hand on Zoe's in a comforting gesture.

"We do," Zoe replied softly, the grief of being apart from her sister already tearing her heart into a million pieces. "We are a team, now and always."

"I hate that I'm not going with you," Phoebe grumbled sadly. "We've always gone everywhere together. No matter the quest or the place. This is the first time we will be apart and it feels wrong."

"I know," Zoe replied. She could feel herself about to break so she reached to hug Phoebe as tightly as she could without hurting her. As the tears spilled from her eyes, Zoe closed her eyes and cleared her throat to contain a sob. "But we will be together again. I know we will. I love you, sister."

"I love you too, Zoe," Phoebe whispered, her voice muffled as she buried her head to her sister's neck. "Even if you're being a complete drama queen."

"Shut up and hug me," Zoe ordered with a sad chuckle.

No other words were necessary. Both sisters sat there, embracing one another, for what felt like forever and soon, Phoebe fell asleep. Slowly as to not wake her up, Zoe carefully moved her backwards so that she was again lying on the cot.

Then, she grabbed her sister's hand and cried silently as she tried to commit that feeling to memory.

The feeling of her sister's warmth. Of the joy Phoebe supposed in her life.

Oh, how would she miss her.

* * *

The following day right as the sun rose through the sky, Thalia Grace, Grover Underwood and Bianca Di Angelo rushed through the entrance next to Thalia's tree. The first two were desperate to save their dear friend while the latter was eager to prove herself to her new sister and lieutenant.

Meanwhile, Zoe hesitated by the entrance to Camp Half Blood. After a moment, she turned towards the camp and studied the astounding scenery.

She could identify each and every one of her sisters roaming through camp because of the silver clothes. Even if it was filled with males, Zoe was glad for Camp Half Blood. After everything they had gone through, her sisters deserved some peace.

Then, she glanced towards the sky and grimaced at the sunrise. She had been forgetting to look at the stars. With everything in her mind, she kept forgetting to gaze at one of the partially constant things in that world.

She could only hope she would be able to see them before the end came.

"Nightshade! Let's go!" called Thalia.

Zoe sighed before smiling weakly at the camp. She'd made her peace and she was happy with her life.

So, at last, she whispered her farewells and turned her back on that safe haven for demigods.

And, as she walked to face her fate, she did so with pride.

She was Zoe Nightshade, after all.


	7. The Huntress and the Dam Boy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys!
> 
> This is the most angsty chapter I've ever written. You've been warned.
> 
> So, as you know, chapter 7 centers around Zoë and Percy throughout TTC, right until her death. I felt like Percy was the only choice for this chapter because of how much he changes Zoë's perspective on some things but specifically because during this story I've been trying to analyze just how Zoë's life has been affected negatively by men, which is darkly comical considering that she devoted her life to a group formed only by women.
> 
> You will notice I changed a lot of things from the book. Some of them were because I wanted to make Percy and Zoë's dynamic the center of this fic, so some things were kind of irrelevant here. Others I changed because I honestly don't remember every detail of TTC so I apologize beforehand.
> 
> This is why I've based myself in the 5 stages of grief in order to describe Zoë's thoughts of Percy through pivotal scenes in TTC. After everything she's been through, if there was anything Zoë could struggle with, that would be the fact that men can actually be good.
> 
> I hope I did their relationship justice and that you guys liked this! Next chapter will be the last, and centered around the women of the Hunt. I have a general idea of how I want it to go and I know that my objective will be to describe how Zoë changed her sisters and the world around her. If there are any scenes or aspects you'd like for me to add, please mention it in the reviews or PM me.
> 
> Also, you guys, I'm sorry but I'll edit this tomorrow. This was honestly quite emotional for me to write and I need to take a break before editing. However, I wanted you guys to read it as soon as possible, since midterms made me delay my writing for so many weeks already.
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own this. Also, there are mentions of abuse here. Also, mentions of death (plus the actual death of a character). Reader's discretion is advised.
> 
> Please leave some kudos and comments! It would mean the world to me. :)

**Denial.**

Zoë thought of the duality of her life constantly.

The thing was that she was so immersed into her mythological life that it was impossible for her to understand a reality other than the one she had already convinced herself of.

She had seen entire communities, entire cultures, entire countries fall into dust. So much of that had she seen that eventually, it failed to surprise her. After all, if the Gods themselves are in perpetual danger from their countless enemies, why wouldn't everything else be in jeopardy as well?

She had seen war. Hell, she had fought. She had fought time and time again, against both small and great enemies. So much had her life and the life of her sisters been threatened that at last, no enemy seemed undefeatable. No enemy could hold up to the fact that for thousands of years, Zoë Nightshade had survived.

She had made it through, even when against the worst of odds. The facts spoke of a clear image, one that granted Zoë with tremendous courage and strength. I mean, why wouldn't she keep on fighting? Why would she give up when she had defeated so many already?

So, duality.

Her life had been an endless line of events of all kinds. She had fought. She had lost. She had won. She had loved. She had mourned.

If anything, her life had readied her for a world in which everything and anything could happen. It had taught her that if there was a word that could describe the world her sisters and herself lived in, that was "unpredictable".

Still, there was a fault to that. Because for as much change as the world had lay before her very eyes, it had also managed to strengthen some of her beliefs.

Zoë Nightshade had lived for thousands of years. She had seen entire empires fall. She had seen powerful members of society be killed as easily as anyone could take a breath. All of which she had thought would never happen, they had happened right before her.

The fact that the male sex could be actually good, that was not one of them.

Zoë had lived for so long. She had seen so much and still, nothing of the infinity of happenstances she had witnessed had led her to believe that she could be wrong about that.

Sometimes, Zoë thought of it. She wondered whether she was wrong, she wondered about the reason, she wondered about the reason why females had had to fight for every single right granted to them, all while men were given them as if they were all Kings.

She thought of that because regardless of how much her life proved that everything was a possibility, it had also taught her of the existence of its exception.

And she thought of that again when the son of Poseidon ran to her as she was leaving Camp Half-Blood.

"Zoë! Wait!"

Zoë clenched her jaw, her hand inadvertently gripping the bow in her hand. Her gaze hardened as Thalia Grace stopped and turned towards her, Bianca and Grover soon following. "Is that Kelp Head?"

Kelp Face. Had Zoë been in better terms with the daughter of Zeus, she would have laughed. "I suppose it is. Not that it matters, though."

By then, Zoë had caught up with her companions, her step undeterred even as she felt the cautious glances of Grover and even Bianca. Thalia, strangely, didn't seem to disagree with her, for she too ignored the cries from the Son of Poseidon.

"Zoë! Thalia! Stop!"

Zoë only gripped her bow tighter, her face turning into a scowl as the annoyance seemed to bubble up within her.

"Hey! I'm talking to you!"

Zoë closed her eyes, struggling with herself as she felt the annoyance increasing, its flames warming her up until at last, she was on the verge of exploding. She took a deep breath, commanding herself to ignore him.

He was not worthy, after all, and killing him would only delay her from going on her actual quest.

"You cannot forbid me to go, Zoë! Annabeth is my friend and I'm going!"

Without really noticing, her steps faltered to a stop as the frail dam that had been containing her frustration towards the annoying boy finally exploded.

Zoë sensed her companions had stopped too but they didn't matter. What mattered was the quest, what mattered was making sure that her final days in that world were spent in a productive manner.

And that _male_ was in the way of it.

Zoë knew that to them it seemed as if the next thing she did was in the split of a second.

It wasn't like that for her.

She felt her fingers pulsating eagerly as she grabbed one of her arrows from her quiver in a manner so familiar that she would probably be able to pull off in her sleep. She felt every tension in her muscles as she notched the arrow to her bow and aimed towards the son of Poseidon. She could see every angle of the forest as she let the arrow loose.

And as the arrow notched itself into the trunk of a tree right behind the boy's head, therefore managing to startle him, Zoë allowed herself a slight smirk.

"Hey!" Percy yelled, his eyes wide with panic as he looked between the arrow and the Lieutenant of the Hunt. "What was that for!? You could have killed me!"

Zoë lowered her bow calmly, choosing to ignore most of his theatrics. "You were being annoying, son of Poseidon. I suggest you stop announcing our location to the entire population of this forest."

Beside her, Thalia was snickering openly. "Are you sure you aren't about to faint, Kelp Head? You should have seen the look in your face."

"Oh yes, let's throw arrows at Percy, that's so funny," Percy spat exasperatedly, scowling when Thalia only sunk to the ground, overridden with hysterical laughter. When Grover joined her, Percy sighed with frustration and turned to Zoë. "I need to help Annabeth, Zoë. Please."

Zoë straightened, her eyes narrowing thoughtfully. "Why does that matter, demigod?"

Percy squared his shoulders too, his expression growing grave. "She's my best friend. She's saved my life countless times. I need to go."

Zoë pursed her lips as she regally marched towards the son of Poseidon, a chuckle threatening to erupt from her lips as she noticed how he gulped nervously. For a second, she couldn't help but wonder whether the boy before her was aware of the feelings he had for the daughter of Athena.

She reckoned that if she - who had steered clear from all romantic gestures for an eternity - had managed to notice them, then so should have he but still, Percy was a boy. They weren't the brightest of creatures.

As Zoë reached him, she gracefully walked past him in order to yank her arrow from the trunk. Turning with a determined expression, Zoë raised her eyebrows in inquisition. "Tell me, son of Poseidon, why does your personal need matter? Is it because of your status as the son of a powerful god? Or is it because males seem to be entitled to do anything they want?"

"No, that's not what I mean." Percy shook his head vehemently, his cheeks coloring red as he frowned at Zoë. "I only mean-."

"I understand that you might mean well, Percy Jackson." Zoë cut him off gently, yet her voice left no room for arguments. "But this is greater than you. It is greater than me. It is even greater than Annabeth and Lady Artemis. This is about defeating our enemy. This is about doing everything we can so that when the final battle comes, we will count with the best odds possible. This is about ensuring our survival. The world's survival as we know it. Tell me, what do your needs have to do with it?"

Surprisingly, it was Grover the one who intervened. "Lieutenant, I understand your hesitation but Percy has been named a hero by the Gods themselves. He could be useful-."

"The Hunt does not travel with men, Grover." Zoë replied, yet her eyes never left Percy. "Everytime that rule was broken, it did not end well for my sisters. I won't make an exception now, not even for a Hero of Olympus."

"You don't even know me," Percy retaliated hotly, feeling angry as the accusation seemed to echo around him. "You have no idea of anything about my life so I don't get why you feel entitled to judge me."

Zoë studied his sea-green eyes silently, noticing how they seemed to be darkening as he glared at her. She took in his tall, lean frame, noticing how no signs of chauvinist violence seemed to be emanating from him. She took in his wild, messy dark hair, its state managing to complete his look of childish innocence.

For a second, Zoë wished she could trust him. She wished that by the time she died, she would do so knowing she had found a male ally and therefore, with the knowledge that there was hope for the world.

The second passed instantly, though, and she was again reminded of the list of males who had altered her life completely.

Hercules, who betrayed her and forced her to leave her first home and family.

Zeus, who caused Kallisto and her son to die right before Zoë's eyes.

Apollo, who poisoned Orion and made Zoë deal with the consequences.

Orion, who made her tour the world for 150 years as she hunted him, all the while watching countless of her sisters die.

Sanders, who made her realize of her own insignificance against a world that seemed to be constantly changing.

Atlas, who had forced her to face her own, abrupt demise.

"I don't," Zoë agreed easily. "Yet not once have I met a man who has managed to contradict me. We all have a role in the wars to come, son of Poseidon, but you don't have one in this quest. If we manage to survive, we can pick up this conversation again. Until then, I have a quest to lead, and you have a camp to protect. I will make sure Annabeth knows of your...insistence to save her."

As a reply, Percy huffed and turned back towards Camp Half-Blood, cursing as he distanced himself from the group.

"Did you have to be that mean?" Thalia demanded from behind Zoë. "He's worried about her friend. Why couldn't you understand that?"

Zoë wanted to laugh at that. Unknown to them, she had said her goodbyes to her sisters, and was prepared to walk to meet her demise.

Of course she understood.

If only that changed anything.

"As I said, this is bigger than any of us. What we want or need, it doesn't matter," Zoë finally replied. She put the arrow she'd shot back in her quiver and made her way to her companions. "When we make it back safe and sound with Annabeth because we didn't have to deal with a foolish male demigod, he will thank us."

Thalia stared at her with narrowed eyes, tense silence surrounding them as Grover and Bianca seemed to want to stay as far from the argument as possible. Zoë merely stared back, her years of experience knowing she was right.

Finally, Thalia rolled her eyes and resumed her walk, their other two companions following quickly. "Come, we need to figure out how we are going to get a car if we want to reach San Francisco before it's too late."

Zoë refrained from looking behind her shoulder as she followed the daughter of Zeus. She had to make sure everything went alright and if no men were there to screw with her plan, then even better for everybody.

**Anger.**

Had it been under different circumstances, Zoë would have enjoyed the irony of looking for refuge in Washington's Olympic Forest.

But, because the Fates seemed to hate her with passion, Zoë found that she could barely keep herself from poking Percy Jackson with thousands of silver arrows.

Complete, deafening silence hung around them as the group gathered close to the pile of wood Thalia and Bianca had assembled. After looking with trepidation at Zoë, Grover knelt before the pile of wood and, after nervously clearing his throat, began to light the fire.

Percy followed his friends silently, his usual quips and sardonic demeanor seemingly gone. He kept throwing wary looks in the direction of the lieutenant of the Hunt, his hands unconsciously gripping the Nemean Lion's pelt, which had been turned into a jacket the moment he put it around his shoulders.

Zoë tried to sit, she tried to force herself to calm down and enjoy the starry night. However, she couldn't even look at the stars. More than that, she didn't want to. With her days counted, Zoë had made an oath with herself that she would find the time to enjoy her home.

The forests had remained a wonderful constant in her life. The soft lull of the branches as they swung gently due to the wind, brushing against each other in the dark. The gentle wind that caressed her face and cleared her mind, reinvigorating even in spite of the exhaustion coursing through her body. The sea of stars dancing across the dark sky, painting the scene around her with silver, marvelous light.

She didn't want the memory of her home to be tainted by the arrogant demigod who had dared to follow them and that filled her with incredible rage. If she was to die soon, then the least she deserved was to enjoy her last days in peace!

At last, Zoë turned abruptly, heading towards her bags in order to ready their tents. She figured that she could do with an early night's sleep in order to avoid the idiotic son of Poseidon. Also, there was so much she needed to think about.

Artemis and Annabeth. Kronos and the wars to come.

The remaining path laid before her.

And Atlas, waiting by its end.

Alas, it wasn't too long before she was distracted.

"Zoë."

Zoë shook her head, refusing to look at him as she continued to assemble the tools she would need for the tent. "Don't."

He sighed. "Look, I get that I wasn't really invited here but it's there anything to do about it? I'm here and I even saved your lives by killing the Nemean Lion. What's left to discuss?"

"I'm not sure you understand the dimension of what you're asking, Percy Jackson." Her tone was clipped as she finished assembling one of the tents. Even a routine as familiar as that one failed to bring her the usual sense of comfort and it made her even angrier.

"Try me," he challenged.

Immediately, Zoë looked up, her eyes darkening at the nerve of the boy. Distantly, as if they were thousands of miles away, Zoë heard Thalia's groan, Grover's nervous bleat and Bianca's shocked gasp. Still, she didn't even try to acknowledge it.

All she cared, as she felt the anger coursing through her veins as if it were scalding lava, was about teaching this arrogant excuse of a man a lesson.

"The pelt of that animal is all you deserved as gratitude." Zoë began, her tone venomous as she straightened to her full height, towering over Percy in a regal manner. Only the roaring fire stood between them, casting golden specks at both of them. "And you might even be the fifth member of this quest. I don't care about it. What I know, is that your arrogance and stupidity put us in danger. We're facing an enemy unlike any you've seen before and your pointless, dangerous bravado almost screw us over!"

Unused to hearing the formal huntress curse like that, the three remaining members stood in haste, intending to put a stop to the fight but Percy managed to cut them off. Whether it was because of Zoë's accusations or even due to the concern he felt about Annabeth, that he didn't know, but as he stood to face the huntress, his eyes were flashing as angrily as hers were.

"What makes you feel like you have the right to speak to me like that? You don't even know me and still, you haven't taken a second to see whether I fit into your awful criteria! What makes you think like you know enough to label me without even knowing me?"

"That's rich, boy," Zoë taunted humorlessly. "Try living two thousands of years, like I have, and maybe you'll realize there isn't much that will remain unknown to you."

"I could name one thing," Percy retaliated hotly, his fists clenching angrily. "And if you would get down from your high horse, then you'd be able to see it too!"

"See what?" Zoë questioned, her fingers craving to grab her bow and shoot the rude teenager standing before her. "Your recklessness? Your need to be the center of attention? Your arrogant compulsion to do whatever you feel like, without caring for rules or others rather than yourself? Please enlighten me, boy, for all I can see is the same traits I've seen in every single foolish man I've met during the eternity I've been alive."

" _My_ need to be the center of attention!?" Percy's voice heightened with outrage. "What does that say about you? I want to save my best friend and you felt arrogant enough to leave me at Camp because _you_ do not hunt with men!"

"I'm the lieutenant of the Hunt, boy, do not mistake me for some child who has not a clue of what she's doing. I've been part of so many wars that the sight of blood does not upset me anymore. I've seen so much death that it doesn't faze me anymore." Zoë snarled bitterly, her pride masking her expression so that she looked like a warrior queen putting some subject into place. "I do not care that you're a Hero of Olympus. I do not care about your past triumphs. I was entitled to come in this quest to save Lady Artemis because of everything I've done, everything I've survived. You might be a male, but you certainly cannot measure up to me."

"Listen, as much as I enjoy this little quarrel," Thalia decided to intervene then, her eyes guarded as they flickered between Percy and Zoë. "We should get some sleep. We have a long day tomorrow."

Bianca frowned as she noticed the unshed tears in Zoë's eyes. "Zoë? Are you alright?"

Zoë shook her head before smiling at her new sister. "I'm alright, Bianca. I suppose the daughter of Zeus is right. We need to get some sleep."

At that, Bianca and the others felt compelled to move and ready themselves for the night but Percy stood put. His gaze instantly softened as he took in the raw emotion hiding behind Zoë's mask, his posture deflating without him even noticing. "Zoë, I didn't mean that. I know you're a much better warrior than I am. Hell, I've barely started learning about this world."

Zoë wanted to feel sorry for the boy. She wanted to be led by the fact that as annoying as he was, he still was a kid. Nothing but a kid. Her burden, her eternity of a lifetime, it didn't entitle her to judge others based on their experience or lack of.

She wanted to but she couldn't. Her mind had been made, long before Percy even graced the world with his presence.

"I know, demigod. Still, there is a difference between us. You came because you felt like it, even though Thalia and Grover were already on the way to save your friend." Zoë crossed her arms as she regarded Percy with a hardened gaze. The anger however, was slowly evaporating as she once again felt the burden of her pending task weighing down her shoulders. "I'm here because my destiny and my duty instructed me to. The day you manage to convince me you're different from the others will be the day you let others do the job, instead of putting yourself in the center of the struggle."

That night, Zoë volunteered to guard as the others slept but she couldn't find it in herself to look up at the stars.

She feared that with her heart so darkened by sorrow, anger and burden, she wouldn't be able to feel the reassuring effect of the twinkling lights.

**Bargaining.**

After the Junkyard of the Gods, it felt as if even uttering a word would be a crime against the memory of Bianca di Angelo.

Thalia's discovery of a jeep by the fateful scene managed to get them to a river from which getting to Hoover Dam would be easy enough but, as they climbed down from the large vehicle, the four quest members found themselves to be too in anguish to continue moving.

So, they had set up camp by the river and again, Zoë Nightshade was acting as guard while the others slept.

Zoë stared at the bright flames dancing merrily before her and felt the illogical need to put out the fire because after her sister's death, nothing deserved to be merry.

Still, she managed to control her emotions and instead chose to curl into herself, bending her knees close to her lean frame and twisting her arms around them until at last, she resembled the little girl who had died the day Hercules appeared in her garden and betrayed her.

Zoë had always taken pride in her thoughtful mind. She would never be able to count the amount of times her mind had saved her and her sisters from death or injury. Her mind had been the one thing that remained as quick as she was as the years went by and she knew it was because of it that she'd been able to deal with the evolution of the world, an evolution that had constantly threatened to leave her behind.

Still, as she sat there, afraid of even moving a muscle in fear of breaking down completely, Zoë found for the first time that her mind had failed her. Instead of the clear trains of thoughts she was used to, Zoë could only give in to the storming, endless, deafening thoughts that swirled through her mind. They were voiceless thoughts, thoughts that screamed with feelings instead of with words.

Thoughts that were surrending her into shock, leaving her adrift against the chaos threatening to explode within her.

Guilt, anger, sadness, grief, burden, it all weighed down on her, slowly covering her in utter darkness, unrelented by the golden flames of the fire or even the silver of the sky above her.

Even her surroundings weren't helping. She should have been in a forest, honoring her fallen sister like only a fellow huntress could do. Instead, she was surrounded but nothing other than lifeless sand, scattered bushes, all of them hardened by the sun and the toughness of the desert. It was so different from her home, so strange, that her entire being itched to get away from there, to leave her burden behind, to be finally at peace with herself.

For the first time, Zoë found herself grateful as she was joined by the fire.

"I hope you find it in yourself to bear with my presence," Percy mused with a small grin as he took a seat in front of Zoë, leaving them once again with nothing but the fire between them. His grin soon melted off as he took in the angst written all over his proud companion. "Zoë?"

"It could have gone so different," Zoë mused, her voice broken as she allowed her inner barriers to be lowered. She did her best to refrain her emotions from bursting at the same time but it wasn't too long before her dark, enchanting face was wet with tears. "Bianca did not have to die. This is not fair. She had a life before her. She had a family waiting for her, a sisterhood. She didn't have to die."

' _She was the only one supposed to die.'_ At last, Zoë was starting to decipher her thoughts. ' _She was supposed to die so the others could live. Bianca was only a child. She didn't have to die.'_

"I wished I could have died instead of her," Percy suddenly admitted. He avoided Zoë's eyes as she looked at him with surprise. "I...I promised his brother I was going to keep her safe. I...Nico trusted me and now, his sister is dead and all I did was watch as she sacrificed herself."

At that, Zoë was aghast. She felt as she was seeing a new side of this annoying boy, one that rendered her into shocked awe. "So you came because of her?"

"She was one of the reasons." Percy shrugged. Zoë knew she deserved the judgement from Percy, she deserved the accusations of narrow-mindedness so when Percy only looked at her with sorrow, nothing but guilt in his eyes, the Huntress was even more surprised. "I stand by what I said, I came for Annabeth but Bianca...I made a promise and I failed her. I cannot forgive myself for it."

Silence ensued as the pair stared into the flames. Surprisingly, Zoë found that talking to that boy was actually...maybe not comforting her but it was helping in putting her thoughts in order.

The thoughts were heartbreaking, so filled with regret and guilt and grief, and so violent that they were threatening to tear Zoë's soul apart, forever succumbing her to the despair of her current situation.

' _If she had allowed Percy to come with them, then maybe she could have avoided Bianca's death.'_

' _If she had trusted Percy, then maybe the two of them could have protected her.'_

' _If she had forgotten about her prejudice, then maybe she could have taken Bianca's place.'_

Still, Zoë found that speaking about it lessened the weight of her heart, almost as if she'd found an outlet for the overwhelming feelings in her heart. There was so much she couldn't say, so much that she would have to take with her into the grave but the little she could vent, it helped immensely.

All Zoë could hope was that it would be enough for her to deal with the following days.

"I have seen so many of my sisters die." Zoë finally said, her voice soft and sad as she stared into the flames. She could feel Percy's eyes on her but somehow, his gaze didn't unnerve her. In a way, it made sense for her to open up to someone who she owed nothing to. "From the days before I became the Hunt's lieutenant, only Phoebe and I remain. Only she and I have shared the burden of watching our sisters - whether it was because of war or because they left the Hunt - die and even though thousands of years have passed, we still remember every single one of their names."

"It must be strange, being here without her." Now that Zoë wasn't attacking him, Percy felt comfortable enough to let his guard down. "Being without Phoebe, I mean."

Zoë gulped emotionally, her expression guarded as she thought of her beloved sister. So many things had gone wrong ever since she heard the prophecy. So much wasn't what it was supposed to be and it filled her with so much frustration because if Zoë Nightshade deserved anything after everything she'd accomplished, that was to be with her loved ones until the very last moment.

More than anything, she deserved to be the only death. No one else was supposed to die.

Everything could have been so different, had she changed just one of her decisions.

"It is and I'm angry that she can't be here." Zoë chose to reply, her voice slightly amused as she thought of her best friend. "Phoebe is the only one who can understand what it is to watch your sister, a child, die without you being able to do anything but stand by the sidelines and watch. Bianca was my sister, regardless of the time she was in the Hunt, and she deserved to live for an eternity, just like I did."

Percy snorted. "The Stolls can't have helped my situation. Their pranks usually have poor timing but this one..."

Zoë looked at him with a soft smile. "They didn't but you have."

Percy frowned, bewildered by Zoë's sudden acceptance of him. "What do you mean?"

This was way harder than Zoë had supposed. To admit to someone else, to a _boy_ , that she was wrong meant for her to forget about the pride and the prejudice she'd been building for so many years.

Still, she owed it to herself. She had to be the best version of herself for as long as she could so when she died, she would have little to be sorry about.

It was too late for her to save Bianca and it would forever burden her soul but maybe, it wasn't too late for her to make amends with Percy Jackson.

"I...I regret being quick to judge you." Zoë began hesitantly, avoiding Percy's kind gaze as she struggled to admit her mistake. "My life has taught me not to trust your gender but still, I've realized that once again, I've allowed my mind to remain in the Ancient Times. The world is changing and sometimes, I find myself not changing with it. I should have given you a chance."

Percy's voice was polite, yet laced with utter confusion. "I don't understand, though. I did nothing to deserve your trust."

Zoë was torn between her fondness and her exasperation for the boy sitting in front of her. Her fondness because it was that kind reply that made it easier for her to believe he was different. Her exasperation because she was having the hardest time trying to admit her mistake to a _male_ and why couldn't he accept her words already!?

"It may look like that to you but with Bianca's death and especially knowing you came here to protect her...if I had allowed you to come when you asked, you could have helped me care for her." Zoë explained, her voice laced with sorrow as she thought of the little boy waiting for her sister back at Camp Half Blood. "Maybe, she could have been spared and I could have died instead of her."

It was really angsty of her to say that but really, did her life even matter anymore? Her days were numbered anyways so, why did her life had to be ended by the hand of her evil father? Why couldn't she have died saving her sister?

Percy's statement snapped her out of her thoughts. "You don't believe that."

Zoë furrowed her eyebrows in confusion, slightly offended that he had the nerve to contradict her. "Why do you say that?"

"Because the prophecy wouldn't have let you." Percy shrugged sadly. "I mean, do you think you could have prevented it?"

Zoë felt ready to sob her heart out but she swallowed her tears as she locked eyes with the son of Poseidon.

She had no idea. But she wished she could have tried.

"I don't know what I believe anymore." Zoë whispered. She tried to square her shoulders and look at Percy with courage but she couldn't, not when she had lost her sister. "All I know is that this is the hardest quest of my life and maybe, if I hadn't fought you so much, things would be different. I regret not listening to you, as annoying as you might be."

Percy cracked a smirk. "I will choose to ignore the annoying part."

Zoë found herself smiling at the demigod. "Do as you please. You cannot say that it isn't true."

Silence fell again amongst them, yet it was more comfortable, as if in the grief they shared, they had found the opportunity to be in better terms.

Percy was the one who broke, his voice now even more hesitant than before. "Can I ask you a question?"

Zoë stiffened. "You can. Whether I answer, that's a different story entirely."

"As witty as ever, I see." Percy quipped, smirking when Zoë only smiled innocently. "Why is this your hardest quest?"

Zoë bit her lip as she considered her answer. Really, she might as well talk about it. She didn't have to say everything, after all.

Still, Zoë couldn't open up to Percy without threatening him first. "I...Percy, if I find out you've told this to anybody else, I will hunt you down and tear you apart."

Percy raised his eyebrows with alarm written all over his face. "I was already scared of you. You didn't need to traumatize me further."

"I beg to differ." Zoë replied charmingly before sobering up, blurting the words without even realizing what she was doing. "The General."

Percy straightened nervously. "What about him?"

Zoë took a deep breath and reminded herself that this was Percy. She owed him nothing, just like he owed her nothing. That reassured her. "He's Atlas, Kronos second-in-command...and my father."

Silence ensued as Percy desperately looked for something to say. Meanwhile, Zoë closed her eyes in trepidation, overwhelming panic threatening to conquer her entire body. Her fate seemed more real than ever yet and still, she was unsure of whether that was a bad or a good thing.

At last, Percy could only utter, "Ah."

Zoë opened her eyes at that and smiled at Percy, an hysterical laugh threatening to erupt from her lips. "Yes. Ah."

"I suppose you two didn't part in good terms, huh?"

"What do you think?" Zoë somehow knew he only meant to lessen the tension in the atmosphere, which she was grateful for, but she couldn't help to scoff. "Gods, I think about him now and considering I just lost a sister, it doesn't feel as much of a threat. What else do I have to lose anyways? I wish...I wish I could go back and do everything different. I would change so many things and I would be able to face him with another presence."

Percy pondered that silently before clearing his throat nervously. Then, he looked at Zoë. "My first stepfather was an evil man. I...sometimes it's so hard to believe everything my mom and I had to go through just because of the hate in his heart. For years, I was so afraid for my life and especially, my mom's life and...I really don't even know how am I going to be able to look at my past and even slightly accept that _that_ happened, you know?"

Zoë felt the urge to reach out and hug the demigod. It had turned out that Percy Jackson was who her sisters and herself had fought for, not who they fought against.

She could feel herself being destroyed by the guilt over how horrible she was towards him but it only took a look at Percy to know he didn't need her pity, just like she hadn't needed hers. With that, she found herself understanding him better and actually wanting to show him the same respect he had shown her.

When she replied, she did so with a tone of camaraderie. "Thank you for telling me that, Percy. I'm honored you trust me enough to talk about it."

"Well, you deserve my trust, especially after today." Percy replied, his smile widening as he relished in the new dynamic between the two of them. "But my point is that I recently found out my mom married that asshole in order to protect me from the monsters out there, because his awful scent would hide mine until I was old enough to face who I am. The guilt has been consuming me ever since I found out but all my mom said is that it wasn't my fault. As much as I hate it, I'm starting to think she's right. I couldn't have done anything to stop it, just like you aren't at fault for what men have done against you and all the other innocents."

Zoë cocked her head with inquisition. "Weird choice of words."

Percy frowned, unconsciously tightening his coat as a cool breeze brushed past him. "Huh?"

"'What those men have done against you.'" Zoë repeated with suspicion written all over her face. "That feels awfully specific, especially considering I haven't told you anything about my life."

Percy stammered for a few seconds before sighing in defeat. "Yes, well, I had a dream about you. And Hercules. And Riptide."

Zoë sighed. She had seen her beautiful blade in Percy's hand and it had bothered her tremendously. For her trusted weapon to be in the hands of a male felt like a punch in the gut.

Now, in the face of such a heartbreaking reality, she regretted caring about those silly things.

Oh, how would she change everything had she had the chance.

"Anaklusmos." Zoë smiled softly as she recalled the familiar feeling of that blade in her hand. Not even Hercules had managed to make that blade any less dear to her. "Out of everything I regret from that day, I think I regret giving it to Hercules the most. I loved that sword."

Percy pursed her lips in solidarity. "I'm sorry, Zoë. Do you want it back?"

Zoë felt comforted by Percy's offer but shook her head. "No...hold onto it. Prove that you're worthy of it."

Percy smirked. "I thought I already proved myself."

Zoë rolled her eyes moodily, a smile threatening to break through her lips as Percy snorted in response. "All in good time, Percy Jackson. All in good time."

And as the night continued, Zoë and Percy kept talking about their lives not as enemies, but as allies.

**Depression.**

As they made their way towards the last stop of their quest, Zoë was ignorant to everything around her.

The stars above her were invisible. The reassuring wind was nonexistent. The warmth emanating from her companions, her allies, was nothing against the freezing cold that seemed to have overtaken her body.

During the last couple of the days, she'd thought she had made her peace. She knew there was no point in wishing for another future when her fate was at last decided so she thought she had made her peace with her death.

Don't get her wrong, she would happily die if it meant Artemis' freedom. She would happily die for the safety of her beloved sisters. She would even die happily for Thalia and Grover and Percy.

But still. Oh, how she craved for more time.

Her encounter with her sisters seemed to have fled from her mind. Having found true sisters in the Hunt, Zoë had only seen them as strangers, unrecognizable after an eternity apart.

The reunion with Ladon, however, shook her to the very core because even if she'd had an eternity, she could have never thought of her demise being caused by the beloved dragon who used to trust her unconditionally.

Against her will, her eyes drifted towards Percy, who walked beside her as they headed for the place where Atlas used to hold up the sky. Thalia and Grover walked slightly before them, discussing in hushed tones amongst themselves, their movements nervous and their eyes wide with a mix of apprehension and excitement at being so close to Annabeth.

Percy, however, was already looking at her.

"Are you okay?" Percy asked quietly, rolling his eyes when Zoë only shrugged. "Please, I thought we had evolved from this."

"Your arrogance continues to amaze me, boy." Zoë replied with a weak smile, not even trying to mask her emotions. She could feel her strength evaporating as Ladon's poison continued to course through her veins.

She would need her remaining strength for the next battle.

The Last Battle.

"You're hilarious," Percy scoffed, his lips pursing into a scowl.

Zoë smirked, her eyes lighting up with amusement before becoming dull again as exhaustion took over. "I try."

"Zoë-."

"I know," Zoë cut him off gently, her heart clenching with sadness as she thought of the opportunity she had missed. "I just...facing my past made me realize how different we need to do things. The Hunt I mean. It's time it changes."

"You girls have done such an amazing job though," Percy frowned in confusion. "Why would you change that?"

Once again, she remembered the list. The bloody list that had followed her like the most persistent of nightmares.

Hercules.

Zeus.

Apollo.

Orion.

Sanders.

Atlas.

Still, this time she went over it with a different perspective. She remembered those names and their crimes and understood that, although she had sworn she wouldn't let them dictate her life, she had allowed exactly that. They had twisted the way she saw men and in turn, the way the Hunt saw men.

Of course, men had been despicable towards her and her sisters and they had all deserved punishment but she now understood that if they wanted to make a real change, then men needed to be included into the conversation, not left out. Chauvinism needed to be eradicated but by ignoring an entire gender altogether, for the first time Zoë saw how conflictive it could be. Men and women were a part of the world, after all. Women needed to be given the same rights men had been gifted from the very start and men needed to support that but by arguing over it...was that really the best course of action?

Perhaps it was the emotions messing with her mind but Zoë wasn't sure anymore.

What she knew was that she needed more time.

She needed more time to give Percy another chance. She needed to find out what men like him had to offer in order to be able to work with them. She needed to talk to him, about all the things they had in common and about the different perspectives he had in life.

He could have helped her make a real difference. Because of her stubbornness, she would never know for sure.

"Because I haven't been including everybody." Zoë replied at last. Her heart felt so heavy she was surprised she hadn't fallen to the ground by then but when she looked at Percy, she did so with a small smirk. "Because we had allies elsewhere, and I've only now come to realize it."

The rest of the walk was silent, the dread of what was about to happen falling onto them.

**Acceptance.**

After so many years in which her life was so vibrant, so strong, so resilient, it's almost laughable how eagerly it evaporated from Zoë's body.

Zoë could hear the yells of her companions as they noticed her body laying on the floor, right besides the wall Atlas crashed her against. She could feel the anguish in Artemis as she rushed towards her faithful lieutenant. She could taste the saltiness of her own tears as she realized that her time, at last, was up.

Still, she was oddly reassured by it. In a way, she was even grateful, because it meant her pain was finally over. Her fight was finally over.

And as she thought back of her life, she saw it with a sense of victory, her regret momentarily forgotten.

She had fought and she had lost but her past victories, they more than made up for that one defeat.

I will not write what went on between Percy and Zoë as the latter slipped away from the world. Some tragedies, they are too awful to be spoken of. They are too heartbreaking, even in spite of the time, to be described.

All you must know is that she could finally see the stars. She was finally free to gaze at their beauty, the beauty of yet another constant that followed her wherever she went. As she died, Zoë found that her heart had somehow expanded, as if the poison and the physical trauma had gotten rid of every burden and guilt, only leaving the love she had for the world.

And, oh, how she loved it. The beauty of the stars. The resilience of the forest. The kindness of the breeze. The warmth of the fire as she gathered around it with her sisters. The familiar feeling of her wooden bow. The satisfying noise her bowstring did every time she shot an arrow. The laughter of her sisters as they chattered about something or the other. The wonderful friendship she'd found in Phoebe. The protection she'd found in Artemis. Even the lessons she had learned as she moved from civilization to civilization.

She made sure Percy knew all of that as he cried beside her. As the poison destroyed her body little by little, leaving her in agonizing pain, she managed to forget about it all because she had a last mission.

She needed Percy to know that she was honored that Anaklusmos was in his possession. She needed to know that she knew of her fate ever since she heard the prophecy and nothing would have been able to change her destiny. She told him that, even though she wished she had met him sooner, she was still immensely glad she had the chance to know a kind, good man before she died.

She needed him to know she felt better about dying because he had survived, and that meant that there was hope for the world she was leaving. She needed him to know that she was leaving in peace for she had at last seen how meaningful her work had been. She needed to know that he would remember, and that he would tell all of this to her sisters so they could continue the work begun even before Zoë had been alive.

As soon as Percy promised he would make sure everybody knew of what happened that day, that everyone would know about the story of Zoë Nightshade, the Huntress felt free to give in to the force calling her into her next adventure.

And as she gave into the pain, she barely registered Percy switching places with Artemis. All she could see were the stars, calling for her to join them with their enchanting light.

"Stars. I can see the stars again, m'lady."

At last, the pain was finally gone.

That night, the sky gained a new, beautiful constellation.

The Huntress would always be remembered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope Zoë wasn't too OOC but I wanted to portray her differently than in the previous chapters because here, not only is she dealing with her near death but also, she's dealing with the loss of Bianca, the appearance of Percy, and the reunion with Ladon.
> 
> Hope you guys liked it! Chapter 8 is going to be in honor of the badass huntress and so many characters are going to appear. Stay tuned!


	8. A Force Of Nature

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here it goes, chapter 8 and the last one in this fic!
> 
> So, at first I wanted to have seven scenes here, one in which the women mentioned in the previous chapters would feature. But there was one scene I didn't really like how it ended up so as a result, I combined the idea of that one with the one I had for another, the last one in this chapter.
> 
> Thank you all so so much for reading! This story has been a complete pleasure to write and I'm so happy with the result. Thank you all for the support and I hope you guys continue liking my stories!
> 
> Disclaimer: Don't own anything. Also, there is some cursing here.

There was a sort of peaceful sadness that came with saying goodbye to someone, one that Annabeth would never be used to, yet one she had learned not to fear.

Zoë Nightshade had been a force of nature. She had been a true Queen, in some ways worthy of even more recognition than the one granted to the Gods.

So large had her shadow been, so big had her influence been on those around her that though she'd never met her, not truly, Annabeth found that her life was changed due to the leader of the Hunters, in an irrevocable way.

After the group made it back to Camp Half Blood, Percy and Thalia had to face the excruciating task of recounting the fall of the heroine. Excruciating because, for the honour of having to tell them of Zoë's quest, it did not make up for the grieve of describing her demise.

Still, they did. They had to. Their sisters needed to know what had happened.

They talked for hours. The hunters listened, withholding their grief until they were done. The campers gathered around the returning group, their heads hung because while they hadn't interacted with the huntress, her story was too legendary for them to be nothing but sorrowful. Even Chiron gathered with the group, his eyes burdened, as if he had known of her fate all along.

That night, a funeral was held. A funeral worthy of a heroine such as Zoë Nightshade. A funeral honoured by the presence of Lady Artemis and Lord Apollo. A funeral held at night because it was a Huntress the one honoured, a huntress who deserved every star shining for her.

And above them, the constellation of The Huntress never stopped shining.

Annabeth should have been exhausted but somehow, her mind wouldn't stop reeling, not even for a second. So, taking the opportunity of having no harpies patrolling the Camp grounds - as Chiron had ordered a night with no curfew, for the night was the time for those who wanted to honour Zoë- Annabeth wandered over to the lake.

And there she sat, with no company but the one of the stars.

Until she wasn't on her own anymore.

"I should have known you'd be here," Thalia commented as she plopped down besides the daughter of Athena. "Your mind knows better than to grant you any rest."

Annabeth cracked a small smile but her arms remained tightly around her bent legs. Her gaze was fixed on the starry sky above her. "And I should have known you would follow. You tend to disrupt my every attempt to seek peace."

"Disrupt? Annie, who even speaks like that?" Thalia snorted, quickly sobering up when Annabeth only rolled her eyes. "Annabeth, seriously. What is it?"

"I can't forget about Zoë," Annabeth replied, her voice softening as her mind wandered away. "Everything she's been through, everything she's sacrificed, gods, even the _fate_ she was ready to accept. All because she was sure of the mission she had to accomplish in this world. I cannot comprehend the amount of willpower that must have taken."

"Willpower or mere stubbornness," Thalia grumbled, raising her hands in surrender when Annabeth turned to glare at her. "What? Yes, Zoë Nightshade was a heroine and the world will be a darker place without her but I won't say the woman was perfect just because I'm sad."

"So you will talk poorly about her?" Annabeth demanded, her gray eyes stormy as they ran over Thalia's features. "You will favour an ancient grudge over the fact that she sacrificed her life for us?"

Thalia rolled her eyes as she lay back on the sand. "She only wanted to save Artemis. She cared about nothing else and you know it."

"You can't believe that," Annabeth scoffed. "You know what she fought for. You've heard the stories, just like I have. Regardless of her denying romantic love, she still loved her sisters and all women. She did everything to save -no, that isn't what she did. What she did was help us gain enough resources so we women could save _ourselves_! How can you say anything negative about her!"

It seemed as if Annabeth's accusation snapped something inside of Thalia. The daughter of Zeus jolted upright, turning towards Annabeth with her arms crossed tightly across her chest. Above them, the stars were obscured by the upcoming storm.

"I can because I knew her, Annabeth! I didn't spend an eternity with her, like Phoebe or the others did, but I was the one who witnessed as she accepted her own death." Thalia declared, her voice hard with anger and something else, something Annabeth was struggling to recognize. The daughter of Athena was almost sure it was guilt but she couldn't comprehend why Zoë's death would bring such a feeling upon her friend. "Zoë talked mostly to Percy on our journey to save you and Artemis but Kelp Head has always been too blind to recognize what's in front of him. I, on the other hand, could see. I saw as Zoë understood the implications of her own quest, I saw as she accepted her own death, I saw how she readied herself to face her own father. I stood there, and I saw, and I did nothing!"

"What could you have done?" Annabeth asked, her own anger having dissipated as she heard the brokenness in Thalia's voice. "' _And One Shall Perish By A Parent's Hand.'_ Now we know it was talking about Zoë. It was in the prophecy. The fates decided for Zoë. What could you have possibly done against the Fates' will?"

"Because I care about the Fates?" Thalia asked, her hands moving wildly as she walked before Annabeth, stalking for a few paces in a direction before abruptly turning towards the opposite. "Zoë Nightshade, I didn't like her for most of the time I knew her. But she was a legend. She lived her life for others, never for herself. Not because she was a martyr or because she wanted the appreciation of those she helped, but because she found her calling. She wanted to help the women in need, she wanted for women to never feel what she had to feel when her own family betrayed her. Can you imagine any god, hell, can you imagine my father doing that? Caring enough about mortals? Actually doing something to help them?"

Above them, lightning struck across the sky, letting the demigods know the King of the Gods was listening.

"Thalia, not I don't agree but-," Annabeth began, her eyes scouring the sky with apprehension.

Thalia merely shook her head, still walking in agitation. "I will not be silenced again. I was turned into a damn tree because of the gods, I was _asleep for years,_ because of the gods! My father was not here while my mother continued to screw with my life as she please, he was not here while I was killed, he was not here while our Luke grew tired of the indifference of our gods and yet, he has the nerve to eavesdrop as I speak of a woman, a huntress, who had twice the balls he does! I dare him to strike me with lightning, I dare him to kill me! Let's see what the Fates have to say about it!"

"Thalia," Annabeth cut her off, standing up as quickly as she could when it became clear her friend was not about to calm down. She intersected Thalia as she turned towards her and grabbed her arms tightly. "Thals, I know that Luke's betrayal is-."

"It will wound our hearts forever," Thalia retaliated, her eyes wide with outrage as they settled on Annabeth. Again, it was as if they were back to when they met, when Annabeth was a little girl and Thalia was an angry teenager, both of them aching for a family. "But can you blame him? Can you blame him for leaving?"

Annabeth gulped, the pain of Luke's actions breaking her heart yet again. She couldn't help but wonder whether her little family would recover from this. If herself and Thalia, her sister in every way that counted, would ever heal from his departure.

"He's another example of how the Gods and the Fates have no remorse in interfering with our lives," Thalia continued bitterly as she stepped away from Annabeth's hold. Clad in her black leather jacket and her combat boots, she looked every bit like the revolutionist avenger that she was. "And Zoë...gods, to be forced to face her own trauma, to have her life twisted in such a cruel way, all because the Gods cannot live on without making enemies along way...it's so twisted, it's so fucking unfair. She deserved better, and so did Luke, and so did everyone who ever lived and died for the Gods."

"I thought you didn't agree with her work," Annabeth commented with hesitation, her eyes flickering upwards as she felt silver light falling on them again. With surprise, she realized the storm had passed, and that the stars were back.

Maybe Zeus felt sorry for Zoë's death. Maybe Artemis had convinced him to let Thalia's offense pass. Maybe Hera was planning on making her revenge on the two demigods later on.

Out of spite, Annabeth felt inclined to assume it was the third one.

"I didn't," Thalia replied. "Until I understood. She once told me that our quest was bigger than any of us. That our needs didn't matter when in comparison to the mission we had to fulfil. I didn't understand why she said that. Now I do."

"I remember you saying Zoë had a grudge against men and that her hate was not valid," Annabeth recalled, her eyes glazed over as she remembered the time during her childhood when they encountered the Hunters.

"I said that. Because I didn't understand how she was so devoted to a god, even if it was Artemis." Thalia rubbed her temples tensely before placing her hands on her hips. "Now I understand it wasn't devotion for a goddess. It was devotion for a cause. She made her life all about the progress she could enable in the world. In an ever changing world, she became a constant through taking in new sisters and making sure that those who didn't want to join the Hunt would have a brighter future. When she said our quest was bigger than any of us, she meant our journey to save you and Artemis, but she also meant the quest she had prioritized for thousands of years. She knew her time had come and she was okay with it, because she knew her sisters would carry the work she began on."

At that, Annabeth couldn't help but smile.

"You are joining the Hunt, aren't you?" she asked, snorting when Thalia raised her eyebrows in surprise. "Give me some credit, Thals. You might have been a tree for a long time but I think I still know my sister's mind."

"Always so full of yourself," Thalia smirked, even though her eyes betrayed how nervous she truly was.

"Of course," Annabeth rolled her eyes drily before smiling proudly. "If it helps, I'm happy for you. As careless as you are, I know you thought this through."

"I don't know if I did," Thalia admitted with a small chuckle. "But I need to make sure Zoë's legacy is carried. I need to be part of that change and I cannot do that if I stay here at the mercy of the Gods. Annie, I...I don't want to leave you but I find pride and accomplishment in doing this. I can't feel it if I stay here, wondering whether I'll be part of yet another prophecy. Does that make sense? I don't even understand myself."

"I do," Annabeth nodded. "Thals, you're my sister. No matter where we might be, we're family. And I get what you say about feeling proud of what we do because I thought about joining the Hunt too."

"Why don't you?" Thalia insisted, her gaze brightening with hope. "Annie it would be so fun! Can you imagine, watching Kelp Head grow old while we stay young and awesome?"

Annabeth tried to laugh along but the idea of being away from Percy's life wounded her more than she would care to admit. Of course, she had no interest in analyzing the nature of those feelings so insisted, she punched Thalia in the arm. "It won't be fun if you continue to call me Annie."

"Dude, that hurt!"

"You will heal," Annabeth deadpanned before sobering up. "But to answer your question, I...I've been thinking about Zoë's legacy. She even asked me to join in, when I saw her right before I was kidnapped, so I've been thinking about what she saw in me. Was it skill? Or did she truly see the Hunt as my calling? But Thals, I need to know what she stood for, what she fought for her entire life, I need to know that there are people outside of the Hunt who are fighting for the same thing. I need to know that you don't need to be immortal or even a demigod to want to change the world for the better."

Thalia nodded in understanding. "And if you can't find her legacy in the world you know?"

"Then I will carry it on myself," Annabeth replied with a decision before smiling. "Whatever the case, even if we don't see each other as often, we will still be sisters under the same cause."

And as the sisters hugged, the constellation of The Huntress shone even brighter, as if encouraging the young women to carry on a legacy, yet making it their own.

* * *

"I still think we should wait."

Kamilla narrowed her eyes. "Wait for what, exactly?"

"Our leader has just died," Katerina retorted, her voice twisted in anger and pain. "Don't you think we owe Zoe some respect?"

"Careful, sister," Kamilla snarled in a low, dangerous voice. "Or I might think you are suggesting I hold no respect Zoe Nightshade."

"Well, if the shoe fits…"

Behind them and looking out the window of the Big House, Phoebe sighed as her sisters erupted in a fight. On any other occasion, she would have stopped the fight before it got too far - like she would have - but today, and especially considering the decision they had to make, Phoebe figured the best way for them to discuss in a relatively calm manner was to allow her sisters to vent their frustrations.

Instead, Phoebe studied the grounds of Camp Half Blood. The day after her favorite sister's funeral had dawned lifeless, grey, dull. It was almost as if the daylight skies were mourning her sister, as if the world recognized that without Zoe Nightshade, nothing was going to be as lively, as colorful as it once was. Phoebe reckoned it to be a logical thought (besides the small fact that skies, well, they have no feelings).

As a hunter, she had learned that the night sky, with its stars and silver glow, could tell countless stories to those who knew how to look for them. Since day and night complemented one another, Phoebe assumed that as the night had illuminated them while they said goodbye to Zoe, day reflected their heartbreaking sadness.

Phoebe sighed and shook her head as she forced herself to lower her gaze. If she continued to think about Zoe, about the fact that her favorite sister was dead, about the fact that she was the only one remaining from the Ancient Days of the Hunt, then she would break.

That, precisely, was what she couldn't do. She had to make the decisions that needed to be made until they settled on who was going to be the next lieutenant of the Hunt. Once she was chosen, once she was back to being second-in-command, once she was given permission to feel her grief, then she would mourn.

Then, she would break.

Only then.

She owed Zoe that much.

As she tuned into the discussion (or quarrel, depending on how you might look at it) once again, Phoebe felt the strange need to laugh, a need she thought she wouldn't need again. You see, Chiron had offered them the room reserved for the meetings of the Camp' counselors so the three oldest hunters could discuss their future in peace and without being eavesdropped.

Phoebe should have known that their voice would be loud enough for the entire Camp to hear, their secretive stance be damned.

"I think that's enough," Phoebe finally intervened, turning away from the window and the sight of the gray, almost white sky to glare at her sisters. "I realize that this decision is the hardest we will ever make. As the three oldest hunters, we cannot imagine another leader other than Zoe. But foremost, it means that only us knew Zoe enough to know who she would want us to choose."

Kamilla tugged the silver sleeve picking under her armour with impatience. "We should wait and study our sisters. Now that we've suffered tremendous loss, some of us are bound to naturally step up as our leaders. We should wait and see who has the skill to follow in Zoe's footsteps."

"Doesn't that mean the three of us?" Katerina questioned harshly, her eyes narrowing with suspicion. Meanwhile, Kamilla paled, as if she had just realized what she had implied. "We are the ones making the decisions for now, after all. Are you telling us you want the power for yourself?"

"Of course I don't," Kamilla snorted, rolling her eyes at the ridiculous idea. Still, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment as she took in her sister's accusation. "What power is there anyway? We're all sisters. We're all equals."

"Yes, but Zoe was our leader. She was above us all," Katerina argued before looking at Phoebe. "I don't understand why can't you be our new leader. You have been in the Hunt for as long as Zoe was, after all."

Phoebe shook her head at that, doing her best to disguise her pain as her heart clenched painfully. "I cannot be lieutenant. I just cannot."

"But you knew Zoe the best. You two were best friends for thousands of years," Kamilla offered, her gaze growing nervous as she took in Phoebe's almost alarmed posture. "Phoebe, look, I know this is the last thing we want to discuss. Having to choose who will succeed Zoë not even a day after we said goodbye is preposterous. But she would want us to. She would say our quest is bigger than herself. And Phoebe, you knew her the best, so you would be able to lead us just like she did!"

"I have to agree," Katerina offered, nodding tensely at Kamilla before looking at Phoebe. "You have the most experience, you can't deny that."

Phoebe looked pensively at each of her sisters, who returned her look with a pleading one of their own from the long table set in the middle of the room. Then, Zoe Nightshade's second-in-command turned back towards the window, hoping she would catch a glimpse of the constellation that was now her best friend.

When her eyes fell on the same dreadful sky as a few minutes before, Phoebe sighed in defeat. She immediately knew that from then on, she would eagerly wait for every night to come so she could gaze at The Huntress and talk to her as if she sat right beside her.

"When we were in England, Zoë began to fear that the Hunt did no longer know the people," Phoebe finally began, her voice distant and her eyes glazed over, as if she had travelled to an entirely different place. "She never stopped fearing that. She feared that she'd been around for so long that she was no longer fit to lead in a world she did not know."

"I remember," Katerina commented sadly. "I always hated it when she said that. She put so much work in order to change things here. She tried so hard. She was wrong, she knew the world, she knew it enough."

"Was it truly enough? Isn't there a difference between learning about the world and living in it?" Phoebe asked calmly. She once again turned towards her sisters and walked so she could sit between them by the head of the table. "We have seen so much, so many have died, so many cultures have been completely erased from this world. And still, we are living at the edge of the world, simultaneously hiding from it and being escaped by it. Our younger sisters, they may not realize that but we do. We have been through enough to know that that's where we stand."

Kamilla and Katerina exchanged a glance before the first one spoke. "I do not understand. What do you want us to do about it? How can we change that when we are almost as old as the world itself?"

"Gods, hasn't everything happened so fast, yet so slow?" Phoebe wondered with a dry, sad chuckle. "I can still remember the day I met Zoë, almost as it had been yesterday. And I had more time with her than most sisters do with each other and still, it wasn't enough. Gods, there would have never been enough time."

Her sisters allowed her to continue, the silence in the group seemingly heightening as they felt the pain of their beloved sister's sacrifice.

And when Phoebe spoke again, her voice was unsteady, even if her eyes were as dry as ever. "You two remember what Percy Jackson said about our sister. How she wanted our cause to be remembered. How she wanted the progress she had begun to be continued. But also, you remember what he said about men. How Zoë had realized that there were allies in the male sex. How some men - be it due to the modern society or due to some miraculous improvement in the male brain - would be ready to stand with us. She believed Percy Jackson to be one of them and that if we looked, we would find more."

"Well, that's a horrifying thought," Katerina shuddered in utter disgust.

"I have to agree." Kamilla scowled at the thought. "The idea that we have to trust men is just ridiculous. If it hadn't been proposed by Zoë I would discard it instantly but Phoebe...she can't have been in the right, don't you think?"

"The idea of men actually wanting equality sounds...impossible," Phoebe offered a small side smirk, her usually taunting personality making a short comeback before hiding again behind the sea of sorrow within the hunter. "But then again, the world belongs to them just as it belongs to us. Which is why we need to at least look. Not only because it's what our leader wanted, but also because we live in a modern world where it just may be possible for men and women to reach true equality."

"I cannot just forget about centuries of patriarchy," Katerina stated, her features hardening as she recounted her past. "I, like most of our sisters, joined the Hunt to escape males. My sister died because of a male. I cannot just forget and I'm sure most of our sisters would agree."

"Zoe did not ask you to forget and neither will I," Phoebe reassured her. She could feel Zoe's approval of her decision and, for the first time, she felt lighter, almost as if her beloved sister was standing right beside her in support. "We will never forget and therefore, we will continue to work so that our new sisters join us for other reasons other than the need to escape abuse. But just like we need to remember, we also need a leader who comes from this modern world and who knows how to maneuver it. We need someone who knows how to lead and who has the right parentage to do so."

"Good luck finding her," Kamilla snorted.

"I already have," Phoebe replied with a smirk. "I cannot be your lieutenant. I was Zoe's second-in-command and I shall be that to her successor. But, just like Zoe was from a different world, so I am. I need to work from the sidelines, so I can offer my experience to our new leader and sister."

"New sister?" Kamilla raised her eyebrows before her eyes widened. "Oh, you don't mean...not her, right?"

"Oh, yes, her," Phoebe's smile was reminiscent of the Cheshire Cat. "I propose Thalia Grace, daughter of Zeus, to be the next lieutenant of the Hunt. All those in favour?"

* * *

The Hunting Trap Pub was as jam-packed as ever, with a crowd consisting of mostly women talking animatedly as Oasis' "Don't Look Back In Anger" blared through the loudspeakers hanging in the walls.

Ever since the days of Zoe Nightshade, The Huntresses had become an activist association, formed entirely by women of all ages and backgrounds with the sole objective of promoting gender equality.

The Hunting Trap Pub remained as their meeting spot, so it continued to be a safeplace for women yet, at the same time, it became the gathering spot for The Huntresses. Debates, meetings and activities were held there, with more and more women from Brighton and the neighbouring cities joining them as their new activities were promoted.

The days of Zoe Nightshade were long gone. Her headquarters had been taken by the police. But The Huntresses remained. The delivery of food and medicine supplies to poor women and children was still executed. The offer of shelter to those who needed it was still a thing.

You see, once upon a time, the legend was that if you joined The Huntresses, you joined a sisterhood, one in which - some said -, you received eternal youth.

Whatever the case, those myths were a thing of the past, tales sisters told one another over a pint. But the aid the group offered, that was still very much a thing.

The Huntresses had lived on.

On the night that concerns us, a rally had just finished and, as it was Friday night, most of the sisters had remained for a pint. Their voices were loud and merry, filling the place with boisterous energy.

"Oi, Katia!" one young woman with ginger hair that fell down to the small of her back in waves yelled as she noticed one of her sisters by the other end of the counter. "Come hear Gina's tale!"

"I tell you, Rose, Gina can't have more than two pints," Katia taunted as she made her way through the crowd. As she reached her sister, she twisted her raven hair into a messy bun on top of her head and offered Gina a smirk. "Unless we want her to gibber 'til dawn, that is."

"Oh, bugger off," Gina laughed, failing to notice how a quarter of her beer spilled out as she moved her pint wildly. "I tell you, I dreamed about Zoe Nightshade yesterday!"

"We don't even know whether she was real, Gina!" Rose exclaimed, her green eyes bright with hilaration as she took in Gina's sorry state. "And you spilled your uniform again, mate. What will our fearless leader say?"

"She will say it was worth it since I'm remembering the tales of Zoe Nightshade!"

"Gina's got a point, you know," Katia shrugged, snorting when Gina performed a mini dance in celebration. "Margaret Gray and Harriet Bennett might have been the ones who made The Huntresses what it is but it is Zoe Nightshade the one that started it all."

"I would have done anything to meet her," Gina gushed as she silently requested another pint from the bartender. "Zoe, that is. I mean, tales say she had lived for thousands of years before she made it to England."

"Mate, that's impossible," Rose laughed, raising her hands in surrender when Gina glared at her. "I'm sorry but the fact that Zoe Nightshade was a legend does not mean that she lived since the beginning of time!"

"Not the beginning of the time, please," Gina scoffed at her sister's ridiculous statement before lowering her eyes towards her freshened drink. "Since Ancient Greece."

"They said Zoe Nightshade worked closely with the Goddess Artemis," Katia intervened before Rose could protest.

"Well, it would make sense," Gina gushed excitedly. "Considering who Artemis is. They said that in order to enter the Hunt, you had to renounce romantic love and that men were completely banned from our lives."

"Well, who cares about men," Katia smirked. "But thank the gods we no longer have to renounce of romantic love, huh?"

As Katia and Gina cheered and clinked their glasses, Rose rolled her eyes, tired of her sister's antics. Then, she frowned exasperatedly at Gina. "Well, what did you dream about then? Did the fearless Zoe Nightshade speak to you?"

"Um, no," Gina blinked, as if struggling to remember what she had dreamed. Then, as she did, she sobered up. "She had her eyes closed and I don't remember the background, I don't remember where she was but she glowed...almost as if she was a star."

"A star," Rose deadpanned. "What does that even mean?"

"Rose, please, you are asking logic from a dream," Katia snorted. "Chill, will you?"

"Is she still alive?" Rose asked, ignoring Katia's words. "Do we know where she left after leaving England?"

"I can answer that."

It was gradual but it seemed to be minutes, the pub had completely silenced, every pair of eyes directed towards the elderly woman sitting by the edge of the counter. Her short hair, once upon a time ginger, was now gray, and had been cut to her shoulders in a fashionable style. Her shirt was silver, like the ones The Huntresses wore, and a silver necklace adorned her neck.

The Huntresses were looking at Harriet Bennett, former leader of the group.

"Oh my," Rose stammered before coughing as she struggled to gather her bearings. Then, she bowed her head in respect, followed by her sisters. "Ms Bennett. This is an honour."

"Thank you, sister, but I'm just a woman," Harriet replied with a smile, the kind of smile that hid secrets and knowledge not everyone would believe. "The cause, our cause, that is the honour."

"Of course," Rose hurriedly replied. "I apologize."

"Do you know what happened to Zoe Nightshade, Ms. Bennet?" Gina asked quietly, the alcohol she had consumed seemingly evaporating from her body.

"I do," Ms. Bennett replied, her smile growing slightly painful as she recalled the letter she received from Phoebe. "I am afraid Zoe Nightshade died in the United States, three weeks ago."

Murmurs were immediately drawn from the crowd as the sisters exchanged pained glances, shocked gasps and even tears of sorrow. For Zoe Nightshade had been a name that didn't take knowing in order to respect. She had been a legend, the legend one is proud to follow her entire life, for her actions had earned that sort of worship.

Some say she deserved more respect that even the Gods do.

"Would you tell us about her, my lady?" Katia finally requested, encouraged by the cheers elicited from her sisters. "You did know her, right?"

At that innocent question, Harriet had half a mind to run out of the establishment. Her gaze flickered over to the counter, the same counter she had once worked behind of. She remembered the day Zoe Nightshade strutted into her life and gave it purpose. She remembered the day she was welcomed into a sisterhood, entering a world of adventures and change.

Harriet reckoned she owed this to Zoe, to Margaret, to all those sisters she had lost.

In England, Harriet was the last hunter from the days of Zoe Nightshade.

She remembered Phoebe's letter perfectly. 'We must remember Zoe's action. What she stood for, what she wanted the world to be, we must remember all of it.'

Harriet reckoned this was her last task. After fighting, after leading, after changing, after aiding, after loving, after losing.

After all of that, she told tales.

She told the tales of the woman bigger than most she'd known.

"I did," Harriet finally replied, her smile proud and her eyes filled with unshed tears. "But first, everyone, get a drink. We have a toast to make."

* * *

After her death, Hippolyta began to see how religions were rather similar between one another.

For example, take the Amazons' palace in Elysium. Hippolyta only had to glance at her battling sisters, at the food that seemed to overpour from every table in the Dining Hall, she only had to take in the rowdy training grounds as her sisters waved around swords, axes and bows expertly. It all remained her of the Valhalla the northmen of her time would tell her about.

For the tales used to say that the heroes who died in a brave way would join Valhalla, where they would dine with the All-father, Odin, and get ready for the Final Battle.

It seemed as if that had been what Hippolyta had during the centuries since her death.

Not the part of the Gods, 'cause not even Hades felt the need to go to Elysium, but the part of getting ready for war.

It wasn't too surprising, because that was the essence of the Amazons. The Amazonian lifestyle was about weapons, war and action. It was about serving the deities related to war and, since the days after Orion's defeat, it was working with Artemis' Hunt in order to help the women in need.

In Elysium, not much had changed. As Queen, Hippolyta had been granted a seat in the Amazonian Council, where the ancient Queens of the Amazons would discuss matters of wars, while their sisters had fun outside. Other than that, the eternity since her demise had been one filled with banquets, war games, speeches, strategy, quarrels, and celebrations.

Until the day the voice arrived.

A voice that drifted through their dreams, a voice that seemed to whisper in the wind, a voice that clung into their minds, slowly yet surely filling their every thought. A voice meant to confuse them into submission, so subtly that most of them hadn't realized until it was too late.

A voice that first spoke out loud through the lips of her mother, Queen Otrera, first Queen of the Amazons.

A voice that, though it had her mother's tone, it was conjured word by word by Gaia, the personification of the Earth.

And Gaia, she wanted them to fight against the Gods.

In an attempt to avoid the excited chattering as her sisters discussed the matter at hand, Hippolyta had escaped to the empty Council Room. As she arrived, she took in the countless golden thrones set in a semicircle, all of them pristine and magnificent despite the pass of time.

Oh, the perks of Elysium.

Slowly, almost reverently, Hippolyta walked across the grand room and sat in her throne, the one to Otrera's right. She glanced around, noticing how the light that usually graced the room had dimmed, as if the Gods already knew of the Amazons' possible betrayal.

Her possible betrayal.

Hippolyta slowly took off her crown and held in her hands, her eyes shining with indecision. She had been the second Queen of the Amazons, heir to Queen Otrera herself. Hippolyta had become a legend, but she had been helped by the association she held with her mother.

So, in a way, it would make sense if she joined her mother against the Gods. It wasn't as if the Gods had done much for her after all and really, Gaia's promises were rather tempting. If she joined, then mother and daughter would lead the Amazons, and more of her sisters would be willing to join them. With herself supporting her mother's cause, the faith in them would only grow, increasing their chances of succeeding.

It was the logical choice, really, and she would have already agreed to join.

If it wasn't for one thing.

The Hunters.

She knew the Amazons who betrayed the Gods would have to fight the current Amazons on Earth and the Hunters. Strangely, Hippolyta felt more ready to fight against her own sisters than against the followers of Artemis.

Of course, Zoe wouldn't be there. The news of her death had already reached them.

But she would have to fight Phoebe. And Kamilla. And Katerina.

She would have to fight the women who stood with her as they defeated Orion, the bane of Artemis.

And, as much as it made no sense for her to fight on the same side of the giant she chased for a century and a half, it wasn't even that that made Hippolyta hesitate.

Since the days after the battle against Orion, Amazons and Hunters had learned to work together. They had forgotten about their differences and, with Zoe Nightshade and Queen Hippolyta in the lead, they had turned onto a common cause.

What most didn't know was that it was Zoe the one that convinced her to join arms with the Hunters. Zoe Nightshade was the one who taught her that women must fight together, not apart, and never eachother. She was the one who, by fighting against Orion - a giant she had no hopes of defeating - alone, had shown Hippolyta what it was like to give everything for a cause.

That battle, the one between Zoe Nightshade and Orion, it had been the best ever witnessed by the Queen of the Amazons.

The day she received the news of Zoe's death, Hippolyta had cried as if one of her own sisters had died. Zoe had lived for thousands of years, but her job had not been done, not even close. She deserved to live for thousands of years more, in peace, knowing her work had been completed.

And as she remembered her old friend, Hippolyta suddenly stopped caring about the quarrels between Giants and Gods.

Why should she care? Was an ancient fight between immortals more important than the lives of the innocent? Was her mother's insistence worth the betrayal of a cause she gave her life for?

Really, was there much of a choice to make?

Once again, she wondered whether this was the last battle for the Amazons. She wondered whether this was what she had been training for, like the northmen believed they would in Valhalla.

And as her mother joined her in the Council Room, Hippolyta couldn't help but straighten proudly as she put her crown on her head.

It didn't matter.

For her choice had been made.

"I have grown tired of your hesitation, dear daughter," Otrera stated as she crossed the room towards the thrones. Her brunette hair fell down her back in waves, and her dark eyes were set on Hippolyta with regal authority. "Have you come to a decision? Will you join us in the field of victory?"

"I will not," Hippolyta replied, her voice as proud as her mother's. "I cannot go against a cause I have fought for during my life. I will not jeopardize the life of innocent people in favor of an ancient fight that should have been over by now."

"I see," Otrera began, her fury making her seem taller and more intimidating than ever. "That I should have never allowed you to be Queen after me. You are no true Amazon."

"I am not like you," Hippolyta growled in return. "But that doesn't make me weaker. It makes me different. It makes me better, because I reached depths you didn't. I achieved unity with the Hunters, something you could never even hope to reach. I will not betray them or my conscience. My decision is made, mother, and I will hear no more about it."

* * *

"Kamilla, our orders were clear. We're here to hunt Orion, not to receive newcomers!"

At that exclamation Katerina, who had been nursing a cup of coffee as she struggled to regain her bearing after a long night acting as guard, turned with interest at the scene behind her.

The one who had exclaimed was Naomi, an Italian woman who joined them after the fascist ideology began to grow in popularity in the Italy of the 1920s. She remained sitting in her table with a few of their sisters, but her glare was as clear as day.

Katerina then turned towards Kamilla, who had her arms held protectively in front of two little girls. Immediately, she felt her eyes widen.

Oh, weren't the Fates a true riot.

"What would you have me do, leave them to live in the streets?" Kamilla was retorting while she did her best to comfort the quivering girls behind her. "Tell, do you have no heart, Naomi?"

"I do but I also am loyal and obedient to our lieutenant," Naomi argued hotly as she stood. At once, the rest of the sisters having breakfast stood as well. "And Thalia's orders were clear."

"Are you Thalia to speak for her?"

"That's enough," Katerina barked, causing the room to fall into silence. She crossed the room with purposeful strides and fell to her knees before the little girls. "Hello, there. I'm Katerina. What are your names?"

The little girls, both of them blonde and with big, hazel eyes, looked at each other before the taller one gripped the shorter's hand as she replied. "My name is Emilia. This is my little sister, Helga."

Katerina smiled, trying not to think about her own sister, lost in the war against Orion. "Those are beautiful names, Emilia. Tell me, has Kamilla explained who we are and what we do?"

"Not so much," Emilia admitted, her eyes big as fear grew in her heart. "But we cannot go back. Please, don't make us leave. I...he cannot find us. Please. Please."

Katerina sighed, her heart burdened with grief. She remembered the day she and her sister Sophia made it to Delos after their father was killed. She remembered how scared they were as they were received by the sisters. She remembered how that tremendous, paralyzing fear lasted until Zoe Nightshade gave them those silver cloaks.

Oh, she would give everything to go back to the days her sister and Zoe were still alive.

"I will take them to Thalia," Kamilla offered softly, her smile pitiful as she remembered what the sight of the little girls must have triggered in Katerina's mind. "She is now with Queen Hylla but I'm sure she will welcome them."

Katerina shook her head. It felt like the completion of a journey, leading these innocent girls to their lieutenant, just like she and Sophia had been taken to Zoe Nightshade an eternity ago. And, if Thalia Grace was as gracious as Zoe Nightshade had been, then they would be warmly welcomed into their sisterhood.

"I will take them," Katerina said, smiling reassuringly at the little girls before she turned to Kamilla. "I went through the same thing, after all."

As the trio walked away through the tunnels of the Amazons' quarters, Emilia looked at Katerina with curiosity. "What did you mean?"

Katerina looked at her with a smile. "I have a sister too."

* * *

The Hunters were retained in Puerto Rico as they gathered their dead and injured, for not even the greatest of foes would make them leave their sisters behind.

I will not speak of the grief the sisterhood experienced when they found the body of Phoebe, legendary second-in-command. Some pains, they are too important, too big to be spoken of.

That night, Thalia, Katerina and Kamilla were gathered by the coast, under the moonlight, waiting for their lady to arrive.

Kamilla, the new second-in-command, kicked the sand below her feet and watched it go up into the sky with fury in her eyes. "So few of us remain from those days. Kallisto is gone. Zoe is gone. Phoebe is gone. This is so fucking unfair."

"Kamilla," Katerina began, but Thalia cut her off.

"She died for us," Thalia spoke, her voice wavering as she remembered the sister who had taught her the most, the sister who helped her become the respected lieutenant she was now. "She died against one of our greatest enemies. If she could have chosen her death, I'm sure she would have chosen this one."

"Zoe was the one who remembered Kallisto's death. She was the one who took that injustice and turned into a whole movement meant to make sure not another woman goes through what the first lieutenant went through," Katerina said, her eyes on anything but of the covered body laying on a stretcher behind her. "Phoebe was the one to tell me that story when I first joined. She helped Zoe by telling us that story, but making us remember and after Zoe died, she was the one who carried on her legacy. Who will remember now that they are gone?"

"We will," Thalia assured her with passion. "We will remember the legacy of Kallisto's tragic end. We will remember the leadership and mercy of the legendary Zoe Nightshade. And we will remember Phoebe."

"Kallisto was turned into a star because of Zoe's mercy," Kamilla recalled with a sad smile. Then, she pointed at the constellations that once were Kallisto and her son Arkas. "Lady Artemis ordered for Zoe to kill her but she wouldn't, so our Lady had mercy on her."

"Now Kallisto and Zoe will dance for all eternity amongst the stars, forever remembered by those who gaze up at them," Katerina nodded approvingly before casting a small glance at Phoebe. "It's such a pity that Phoebe won't join them. They used to be such good friends, they should get to spend eternity together."

A small silence fell as they pondered over Katerina's words.

And then, Thalia looked up with a growing smile, the first smile she had casted since the battle against Orion. "Why can't they?"

Later that night, after Artemis left and the sisters retired to their Camp, Thalia looked up at the sky and smiled at the constellations of The Huntress, now joined by the one of The Healer.

And, some tales say, that the reunion of the two best friends was a matter of rejoice across the entire firmament.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just in case, Margaret and Harriet asked for Artemis' blessing to be removed once the Hunters left for the States so they could blend in with the society without a problem.
> 
> Hope you guys liked it! Thank you all so much for reading and hope you guys are safe! Stay tuned for other updates on my other stories :)


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